Overview Of Child Life Council
New! CLC Clinical Supervision Position Statement
Check out the recently published CLC Position Statement on Clinical Supervision! This document, created by the Clinical Supervision Task Force, lays the groundwork for clinical supervision as it relates to child life professional practice and development. Read Now
Established as a nonprofit organization in 1982, the Child Life Council represents a group of trained professionals with expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events. The Child Life Council membership is composed of nearly 4,000 individuals representing more than 600 organizations worldwide. Our members include child life specialists, child life assistants, university educators and students, hospital administrators and staff, school teachers, therapeutic recreation specialists, and others in related fields.
Child Life Professionals
Child life specialists are experts in child development, who 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. Understanding 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.
Top Resources
- Child Life Certification Candidate Manual
- Child Life Compensation Survey Results
- EBP Statements
- Clinical Supervision Position Statement
- Child Life Services Fact Sheet
- AAP Policy Statement on Child Life
- Academic Program Self Review Tool
- Internship Program Self Review Tool
- Child Life Standards of Clinical Practice
- Bulletin Archive (Members Only)
What's Happening?
The CLC Evidence-Based Practice Statement on Child Life Assessment is now available online! Visit the Resource Library to download a printer-friendly version.