Supportive Voice Vol. 10 No. 4 Spring 2005

Are you working with a family that might benefit from the help of a certified child life specialist?
 
A Child Life Specialist is a professional who is specially trained to help children and their families understand and manage challenging life events and stressful healthcare experiences. 

Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) have earned a bachelor's or master's degree, with an educational background that includes human growth and development, education, psychology, and counseling. They are required to complete an internship program and a rigorous application and examination process.

Child Life Specialists are certified through a program administered by the Child Life Council. The requirements for certification are based on academic and internship experience and successful completion of an examination process."

A CCLS may already be working in your facility. He or she could be attached to your pediatric unit, to pastoral care, or to your supportive care team, for example. Try calling your administration office to ask if your facility employs a child life specialist or has access to the services of a CCLS.

You could also find help on the website of the Child Life Council. The council, established in 1982, is a membership association serving child life professionals. Follow the link to "Information Central" to find a listing of local and regional child life groups, which includes contact information for some states. Or call the council's office in Rockville, MD (301-881-7090) and ask for help in locating a CLS in your area.

The Child Life Council website also contains a resource section with links to other helpful websites and resource lists. Some informative .pdf documents are posted, although the usefulness of the site for resources is limited in that it primarily lists titles and purchase information only.