Child Life (degree)
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Child Life is a bachelors degree or masters degree program offered by many colleges that relates to the study of stages of a child's development.
Child Life Specialists primarily work in hospital settings. Child Life programs are devoted to minimizing anxiety and stress experienced by pediatric patients and their families. They facilitate therapeutic interventions including playroom sessions, educational preparation for procedures, diagnosis education and grief support. They also offer distraction to ease anxiety during invasive procedures.
Child Life Specialists strive to practice Family Centered Care, treating the whole family of a patient. Child Life Specialists care for the emotional needs of parents, as well as siblings, as hospitalization of a child can be traumatic for the whole family. Child Life Specialists can offer sibling support through age appropriate preparations prior to hospital visits, diagnosis education, and facilitating support groups.
In order to become a child life specialist you must complete coursework in psychology, human development, education, family studies, and/or related fields and then complete a 480 hour clinical internship under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist. Before applying for a clinical internship program it is recommended that you complete a minimum of 100 volunteer hours within a hospital and have other varied experiences with children in other settings. At the completion of the internship you then must pass a certifying exam which is given twice yearly.
