Child Life Specialist

The Child Life Specialist is a healthcare professional dedicated to supporting the emotional, developmental, and psychosocial needs of children and families during medical experiences. This role helps reduce fear, stress, and anxiety associated with illness, injury, hospitalization, and procedures through therapeutic play, education, and coping strategies. The Child Life Specialist prepares pediatric patients using age-appropriate approaches, promotes positive coping and resilience, and partners with families and care teams to enhance understanding, comfort, and overall patient experience.

Essential Function:

• Reduce pediatric patient fear, anxiety, and distress during medical experiences by delivering age-appropriate preparation, coping strategies, and emotional support.

• Support the psychosocial and developmental well-being of pediatric patients and families to promote resilience, positive coping, and improved care experiences.

• Enhance patient cooperation and clinical efficiency during procedures through therapeutic interventions and effective communication.

• Assess and address developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs to ensure individualized, appropriate care.

• Provide crisis, grief, and bereavement support to help patients and families navigate complex and emotionally challenging situations.

• Strengthen family understanding and engagement by facilitating clear, developmentally appropriate education and communication.

• Partner with physicians, nurses, social workers, and other interdisciplinary team members to integrate psychosocial care into treatment plans and improve overall patient outcomes.

• Serve as a key liaison between patients, families, and care teams to enhance communication, reduce misunderstandings, and support coordinated, patient-centered care.

• Contribute to interdisciplinary care planning and team discussions by providing expert insight into child development, emotional responses, and coping strategies.

• Promote a supportive, child-friendly environment and ensure therapeutic programming and resources meet patient needs and align with clinical goals.

Education:

• Required: A bachelor’s degree in child life, psychology, child development, or a related field.

Experience:

• Required: Completion of 600-hour Child Life Internship, supervised by a Certified Child Life Specialist

• 1 year of pediatric healthcare experience as a Child Life Specialist.

Licensure/Certification/Listing:

• Required: A certification as a Child Life Specialist (CLS)

• BLS