In order to become a certified child life specialist, a student receives initial preparation at the bachelor’s degree level. The student will have knowledge and experience with individuals and groups of children of all ages including:
- All forms of diversity
- Family dynamics
- Growth and development issues for all ages
- Play and therapeutic interventions
- Interpersonal communication
- Developmental assessments
- Children and family responses to illness and/or life changing events
- Learning process
- Group process
- Behavior management
- Interventions to support coping
- Collaboration with other health care professionals
- Basic understanding of medical terminology and disease process
- Knowledge of research which supports child life practice
- Supervisory skills
