A person who enjoys interacting with children and families may enjoy a career as a child life specialist.
A child life specialist is a health professional whose role is to provide psychosocial support and education to children and families affected by medical experiences. Child life specialist jobs are typically held by individuals certified by the Child Life Council, an international organization that regulates the child life profession. Most child life specialist jobs take place in a children’s hospital setting, but in some cases these professionals are employed in other settings appropriate to their clinical experience. Assistant Child Life Specialist position may be available in some locations.
Some child life specialists work with hospitalized children to help them prepare for surgery and make them more comfortable.
Child life specialist jobs often feature a variety of ways to support the psychosocial needs of children and families experiencing acute or chronic medical conditions, surgery, terminal illness, or other stressors related to medical experiences. A child life specialist may use therapeutic play, relaxation techniques, humor, and other developmentally appropriate activities to help reduce stress and promote self-expression. It also helps psychologically prepare the child and family for upcoming medical procedures, such as tests, surgeries, or treatments. Whenever possible, child life specialists are present with the child during medical procedures.
A child life specialist career may be appropriate for someone who enjoys interacting with children and families. The main requirements of the job are excellent communication skills, the ability to explain medical procedures in a simplified way, and knowing how to accommodate the emotional and developmental needs of each child. Responsibilities in child life specialist jobs may also include a variety of related activities, including administrative work, writing, coordinating workshops and other programs, or public speaking. Child life specialists often collaborate with other psychosocial support professionals, such as social workers and chaplains, as well as doctors, nurses, and other members of the medical team.
Depending on the size and complexity of the individual hospital setting, child life specialist jobs can be found in inpatient or intensive care wards, emergency departments, or outpatient clinics. Some child life specialist jobs are held in similar health care settings, such as hospice organizations or private doctor’s offices. Occasionally, these works can be developed in peripheral contexts, including schools or community intervention programs.
Child life certification requires a bachelor’s degree in child life or a related field, such as psychology, child development, or early childhood education. To become a Certified Child Life Specialist, an individual must also complete a supervised clinical internship and pass a certification exam. He or she must also participate in continuing education opportunities to maintain certification.
The child life profession first developed in the United States and Canada in the 1960s. Early on, the profession was deeply influenced by Maria Montessori’s theories of child development. Child life programs now exist in many of the major metropolitan and research hospitals.