Child Life Practicums will be available in the fall and spring semesters and consist of working a minimum of 12 hours a week over the course of 15 weeks totaling a minimum of 150 hours. The practicum schedule may be flexible to fit with both the student’s and supervisor’s schedule. The fall session will run from September through December, and the spring session will run from January through April. There is no summer program. 

Practicum Purpose

Our child life program is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for students interested in pursuing a career in child life. Students will develop core skills needed to prepare for a child life internship by observing clinical interventions and participating in developmental play within a hospital setting. Observations may include medical play, diagnosis teaching, surgical preparation, procedural support, sibling support, bereavement and psychosocial assessment while working within a multidisciplinary team.

Practicum Requirements & Application Process

• Please email a copy of application and resume together to childlifepracticum@luriechildrens.org.
• All required documents (resume, application, 2 signed and sealed letters of recommendation, 1 signed and sealed letter of recommendation from volunteer supervisor, 1 letter of volunteer hour verification, and transcripts) must be sent together in one envelope.
• Applicants must have completed 100 hours volunteering with children in a hospital.  These hours must be verified by a supervisor on institution letterhead.
• Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and ideally be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program for child life, child or human development, family systems, psychology or another closely related field. Affiliation with a university is not mandatory to be considered for the practicum.  A copy of transcripts is required, but does not have to be official.
• Applicants must mail two signed and sealed letters of recommendation.
• Applicants must submit one signed and sealed letter of recommendation from a volunteer supervisor.
• Applicants must print out a typed application and resume and mail them in with application packet.

Application

Download the Child Life Practicum Application.

Please note, handwritten applications will not be reviewed.

Deadlines:

• Fall – March 15
• Spring – September 5

Please contact Brittany Smith, MA, CCLS, at childlifepracticum@luriechildrens.org with any questions.