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
We are not offering a Child Life Practicum for Summer 2025. Please check this page for up-to-date information regarding future practicum opportunities.
For those seeking pre-internship experiences within a hospital setting, check out our volunteer programs.
Child Life Clinical Internship
We are not offering a Child Life Clinical Internship for Fall 2025. Please check this page for up-to-date information regarding future internship opportunities.
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.
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.
