So What’s a Child Life Specialist, Anyway?

At Pickles Group, we’re proud that our founding Chief Clinical Program Officer, Kelsey Mora, and many of our volunteers bring a background in Child Life, a specialty that many families may not be familiar with. While our programs are designed to be facilitated by volunteers who may or may not have this expertise, we are excited to share more about one type of experience our team brings to Pickles programming for kids and teens. So what’s a child life specialist anyway?

Child life specialists are certified healthcare professionals who are trained to help children and families understand and process illness, injury, trauma, hospitalization, and grief. With a background in child development, psychology or counseling, child life specialists utilize developmentally appropriate approaches to help kids and families navigate the uncertain and often traumatic experiences of hospitalization, diagnosis, and treatment.

Traditionally, child life specialists have worked primarily in pediatric health care settings. As described by the American Academy of Pediatrics, “child life specialists provide interventions that include therapeutic play, expressive modalities, and psychological preparation...under circumstances that might otherwise prove overwhelming for the child.” In cases of hospitalized or ill adults, child life specialists may be consulted to provide guidance and resources to caregivers or work briefly with children of adult patients particularly during critical care situations.

Today, the child life profession has evolved to include many nontraditional settings such as hospice programs, camps, bereavement organizations, and private practice.

For more information, read “7 Facts About Child Life Specialists.”