Child Life Services
Professional Support for Children Receiving Medical Care
Our team of Certified Child Life Specialists help our pediatric patients develop ways to understand and cope with the anxiety, fear and separation that often accompany a hospital experience. Their background in child development combined with specialized training helps them meet the unique needs of each child including their family, culture, and stage of development. Our Certified Child Life Specialists hold a bachelor’s and many a master’s degree in the areas of child life and child development. They are professionally certified and affiliated with the Association of Child Life Professionals. They are one of the many reasons we hold a coveted ChildKind designation.
How it Works
The field of Child Life began from the understanding that hospitalization can have a long-term negative impact on normal growth and development because of the stress it puts on children and their families. By assessing a child through play, a Child Life Specialist can gain insight into ways to help the child cope with the hospital experience. Children who receive a new diagnosis of a long-term illness are provided with as much additional attention as possible. Clinical nurse specialists (educators) provide technical information, and then the Child Life Specialist follows up with hands-on activities that reinforce the child's learning.
Facts About Child Life at Children's Hospital
Started in 1978, the Child Life program at ETCH was the first program of its kind in Tennessee and predates the Association of Child Life Professionals, which is the governing body of the field. Since then, the department has grown to cover all inpatient units, the Emergency Department, outpatient clinics, outpatient surgery and the Radiology Department.
Here are some more interesting facts about Child Life at Children's Hospital:
- Child Life staff at Children's Hospital are available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, even on holidays.
- The Child Life staff helps patients and families celebrate holidays, birthdays and other family events that occur during the child's hospitalization. Donations from the community allow Child Life staff members to provide children with gifts on these occasions.
- To see our most requested items, visit our wish list here
- Child Life is supported by Spirit of Children all year long - not just on Halloween.
Child Life Practicums and Internships
Practicums
Child Life Practicum experiences are a consecutive 4 week, 150 hour commitment. This is an introductory experience for students interested in pursuing a career in Child Life. Students will observe a Certified Child Life Specialist in various clinical areas to gain a deeper understanding of the profession. While ETCH recognizes that the Association of Child Life Professionals no longer requires a practicum experience, we believe it is a valuable experience that allows students to increase their knowledge of the field.
We accept practicum students in the summer ONLY during the months of June and July. Deadline for application submission is January 10th.
Practicum Application Form (Form 31708, Rev. 8/23)
You may type your answers on a separate document and submit along with your application
To submit your child life practicum application, please submit it via email with your first and last name & semester applying for in the subject line (i.e. Jane Doe Spring 2024 Practicum Application) to childlife@etch.com along with the following:
- Cover letter & resume
- 1 letter of recommendation
- Non-family member who can speak to your work academically and/or professionally, emailed to childlife@etch.com directly from the recommender
- Unofficial transcript
Internships
East Tennessee Children's Hospital also offers a Child Life Internship program, where college students can work beside child life specialists in the hospital setting. ETCH follows the ACLP internship application deadlines and uses the ACLP’s Internship Readiness Common Application form. The Child Life internship position at Children's Hospital is unpaid and we do not accept unaffiliated students. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions section at the bottom.
Application Process:
We accept interns in the fall and spring ONLY.
ETCH follows the ACLP internship application deadlines.
Fall 2025:
- Application Deadline: TBA
- Initial Offer Date: TBA
- Acceptance Date: TBA
Child Life Student Program Frequently Asked Questions
Download the Frequently Asked Questions document
For additional information, please visit the ACLP's FAQ section here: https://www.childlife.org/docs/default-source/certification/faq-section.pdf
