Child Life Internship Program

Interns will, through their placement in the Chase Child Life Program:

• Gain a deeper understanding of the profession of Child Life.
• Enhance their practices in interactions with children, youth, and families.
• Understand the impact of hospitalization/health care experiences for children, youth and families.
• Identify coping strategies in helping to support children, youth and families in the health care setting.
• Explore developmental theories and have the opportunity to link theoretical frameworks to Child Life interventions and practices. 
• Increase their knowledge of recommended practices for children, youth and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Enhance their thinking skills through critical reflections, thought provoking assignments, journaling, seminars, as well as weekly supervision.

Two scheduling options are available for interns:

Primary Placements
Each student will be assigned a supervisor and a primary placement.  The student will spend his/her internship with this supervisor and placement for the length of his/her internship.  This supervisor will be responsible for the overall supervision of this student including midterm/final evaluations and the review of all assignments. 

Secondary Placements
Each student will also be assigned 1-2 secondary placements.  The time/day spent in a secondary placement will be determined for each student.  Through these placements students will gain a deeper understanding of specific Child Life practices in different areas in the hospital through observation and “hands on practice”.

Requirements to Apply

• Completed coursework in Child Life, Child Development or related fields with a minimum of 10 related courses verified by the Child Life Council in a coursework audit
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in Child Life, Child Development or other related courses
• Experience with children and families in non-healthcare settings (i.e. daycare, school environment)
• Minimum of 100 hours of fieldwork or volunteer experience in a Child Life Program under the supervision of a Child Life Specialist

Submit completed application to Chase Child Life Program including the following documents:

• Completed Chase Child Life Internship Application Form
• 1 current (within the past year) sealed letter of recommendation from a Child Life Specialist supervising your clinical experience
• 1 current sealed letter of recommendation from professional of your choice
• Current resume
• Confirmation of completed pre-requirement of at least 100 hours volunteer/field work experience in a Child Life Program
• Philosophy statement (details for statement in application)
• Copy of coursework audit from Child Life Council

If selected for an interview, the Internship Coordinator will contact potential interns to arrange an on-site interview and tour of Child Life Program for local applicants or a telephone interview for applicants out of the Southern California area. 

Applicants will be notified of acceptance status within 6 weeks from application deadline.  Students accepted wil be required to provide a $100 non-refundable materials fee to the Chase Child Life Program.

Housing during internship will be the responsibility of each student.  Stipends are not provided.