What is a Child Life Specialist?

A Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) is a healthcare professional that supports children and families in medical settings (though they can be found in many different settings). A Child Life Specialist is trained to provide appropriate education, procedure preparation, pain management techniques, coping skills, and support to help minimize the traumatic experience of health-related events for children and their families.

  Child Life Specialists go through a rigorous certification process. It includes a bachelors degree, a series of required courses, a 600-hour internship, and a certification exam. Students pursuing the field also pursue extra training and experience because of the competitiveness of internships. Many students pursue a variety of volunteer, work, and practicum experiences to better prepare themselves for internships and the field. Check out my Resources tab to see more about the path to certification.

Want even more information about child life or pursuing certification? See the Association of Child Life Professionals