At Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Child Life Services focuses on enhancing the psychosocial experience within the hospital environment. We have a team of Child Life Specialists, Child Life Activity Coordinators, School Teachers and a Special Event Coordinator who work to reduce the stress and anxiety that typically comes with hospitalization. Recognizing the importance of investing in the field of child life, we currently offer two educational opportunities for students pursuing a career in child life.
Child Life Practicum
To apply for a Summer 2024 practicum opportunity, please review the Child Life Practicum Program Packet to confirm eligibility, complete the online application form, and submit your video to child.life@lebonheur.org by January 5, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
Our practicum program is an introductory experience for individuals interested in pursuing a career in child life. Practicum students will have the opportunity to become familiar with medical play, pre-operative and pre-procedural preparation, coping facilitation, planning and supervising developmentally appropriate activities while working with individuals and groups. The practicum is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of child life practice through observation of the daily work of a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Child Life Clinical Internship
Internships are offered for Fall and Winter/Spring Semesters with rolling start dates in August, October, and January.
Our child life internship program is a 6-month, paid internship opportunity that will give students practical, intensive experiences in the child life profession. Under the guidance of Certified Child Life Specialists, interns participate in the development and implementation of therapeutic, educational and recreational activities for patients and their families. Interns will be given exposure in a variety of settings to promote optimal growth and development as they transition from student to professional. This is accomplished through exposure to inpatient, outpatient, and critical care units as the student makes the transition from building foundational skills to practicing these skills independently. Additionally, with rolling start dates, our goal is for there to be an added layer of peer-to-peer student support and opportunities for connection with other interns throughout the internship experience.
Details regarding this internship opportunity are below:
- Follows ACLP Clinical Internship requirements for certification.
- Requires a 6-month time commitment.
- Intern will be paid during the entirety of the internship.
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Internship dates may not align with university semesters.
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University affiliation is not required at this hospital.
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All coursework is required to be completed before the start of the internship.
Please see the updated information below regarding the Spring 2025 Child Life Clinical Internship at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Hospitals and academic programs in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee will be participating in a pilot internship match program for the Spring 2025 cycle. The pilot program is an effort to enhance the child life internship application process for all stakeholders. Our child life program has chosen to participate in this pilot, and therefore, we will only be accepting applications from matriculating students affiliated with one of the academic programs participating in the pilot. Outside of the pilot program, our child life program will not be taking interns for the Spring of 2025. For a list of hospitals and universities participating in the pilot, visit the SEACLP Instagram page @SEACLP.
If you are interested in applying as a part of the pilot internship match program and are from one of the participating universities, please connect with your academic advisor for more information.
Application details and process
- The PDF downloaded as part of the ACLP Internship Readiness Common Application is the only component that will be reviewed. No additional documentation will be required or reviewed for a candidate’s initial submission (i.e. letters of recommendation, resumes, etc.).
- After application review, candidates who move forward in the process may be asked to provide additional content as part of the selection process.
- Additional details will be provided to candidates each step of the way to guide them through the process.
If you are interested in becoming a child life specialist, please refer to the Association of Child Life Professionals' website at https://www.childlife.org/certification/become-certified.
To contact the Child Life team, email Child.Life@lebonheur.org.
Additional Educational Opportunities
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital has partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Center to provide a Child Life 101 to those interested in pursuing a career as a Certified Child Life Specialist. For more information about the Child Life 101, please follow this link.
