Do you love the idea of working with children in a hospital or related setting, but aren’t as interested in taking a load of pre-med type science courses? Then, the career of Child Life Specialist might be just the profession you have been looking for! Child Life Specialists provide essential services to children and their families as they prepare to undergo different medical procedures. Here are some further details from the professional website, Childlife.org:
Child life specialists are trained professionals with expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events.
Armed with a strong background in child development and family systems, child life specialists promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization. Because they understand that a child’s wellbeing depends on the support of the family, child life specialists provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. They also play a vital role in educating caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children under stress.
http://www.childlife.org/The%20Child%20Life%20Profession/
As far as work environments for child life specialists, the website indicates:
Although child life has its traditional foundations in hospitals, an increasing number of child life specialists are applying their unique expertise to help children in other environments, including outpatient healthcare facilities, doctors’ offices, hospice care, specialized camps, schools, court systems, and funeral homes. Whatever the location, child life interventions focus on the individual needs of the child and family.
http://www.childlife.org/The%20Child%20Life%20Profession/WhereDoChildLifeSpecialistsWork.cfm
For more specific details about requirements in pursuing a career in this rewarding career, please visit: http://www.childlife.org/Certification/Getting%20Certified/index.cfm
Internship experience as well as appropriate academic preperation are required, so a visit to Baylor’s Child and Family Studies department might help you on your way to exploring this field further.
You can reach this department at:
http://www.baylor.edu/fcs/index.php?id=62112
As always, please let us know if we can seek out more information for you regarding this valuable career path.
