What is a child life specialist?

Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) play a critical role in supporting child health and wellness, leveraging expertise in helping children and their families cope with stressful experiences in a variety of settings. They provide preparation, education, distraction, play, and coping tools, among many other benefits, to children and their families.

Prioritizing the coping and developmental needs of children and families, CCLSs promote and protect emotional safety in times of duress. This minimizes both the immediate and long-term effects of stress, anxiety, and psychosocial trauma, ultimately empowering children, families, and their support systems.

- Association of Child Life Professionals