How Do You Become a Child Life Specialist?

A child life specialist is a healthcare professional with training and certification to help children and families navigate medical challenges. Similar to pediatric social workers and other related occupations, these professionals lean on their skills and training to offer emotional and practical support to kids and their families as they prepare for medical interventions, recover from illnesses, and cope with the countless struggles that come with health challenges.

As a result, this growing field is ideal for compassionate students who want to pursue helping careers. With experience, training, and certification, there’s also ample room for career growth and expanded earning potential.

On this page, we dive into the ins and outs of becoming a child life specialist. Alongside outlining what it takes to jumpstart your child life specialist career, we answer some of our readers’ most pressing questions about the field.

Read on to learn more about this growing and fulfilling career.

If you’re comfortable in a healthcare setting and are searching for a rewarding career, becoming a child life specialist is a fulfilling option. Because you’re providing both emotional support and guidance for children and their families during challenging medical interventions, effective communication, critical thinking, and a compassionate approach are vital. Additionally, expertise in psychology and childhood development is often key to providing effective support.

Working in this field provides the opportunity for both professional and personal growth, given that child life specialists work closely with clients who need compassion and support.

Additionally, working as a child life specialist can be a stepping stone toward other specialized areas, including pediatric social work, child psychology, school counseling, and varying therapy roles.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a child life specialist, understanding academic and training requirements is vital. Future child life specialists traditionally complete a bachelor’s degree in a related field like childhood development, psychology, or social work. Additionally, a master’s degree in affiliated academic areas can enhance your skills while boosting your earning potential and competitiveness in the job market.

Alongside academic work, the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) requires students to complete a 600-hour child life specialist internship at an approved site. Completing this internship is far more than just an administrative hurdle — an internship allows you to hone skills in a safe setting while simultaneously allowing you to develop professional relationships.

After completing these academic and experiential learning requirements, you can earn official certification from the ACLP. While this isn’t a licensed role, holding an ACLP certification acts as a professional stamp of approval, letting prospective employers know that you have the skills, knowledge, and experience to provide compassionate and competent client support.

The time it takes to become a child life specialist depends on multiple factors. For those pursuing a bachelor’s degree, completing the academic and certification requirements can take as few as four years, while an accelerated master’s degree in a relevant field can take as few as 18 months. In addition to academic requirements, you must complete the ACLP’s required 600-hour internship before securing your child life specialist certification.

While pursuing a degree often requires a significant investment of both time and money, students attending accredited schools typically have access to numerous financial aid opportunities. In addition to loans, students can secure scholarships, grants, and work-study positions to help cover the cost of school.

As you transition from student to professional, having a network in place can dramatically impact advancement in the child life specialist field.

The ACLP is the leading professional organization for current and future child life specialists. In addition to providing a professional network for child life specialists, this group provides numerous resources, including certification programs, continuing education, advocacy, and scholarships.

This group of child life professionals not only facilitates professional connections, but encourages collaboration that promotes the evolving best practices that impact and enhance quality care for children and families impacted by challenging healthcare issues.