Child life specialists support children and families during many of the most challenging moments of pediatric healthcare. Whether preparing a child for a procedure or supporting a family through loss, they provide developmentally grounded care during some of healthcare's most vulnerable experiences. As the discipline continues to grow, so does the need for professionals prepared to support children and families in increasingly diverse healthcare and community settings. The support provided in these moments can extend beyond the immediate experience, shaping how children understand and carry their experiences of medical care, illness, and grief over time.
As awareness grows, so does the profession. Child Life is expanding across healthcare and community settings, and with that expansion comes a stronger focus on educational alignment and shared standards that support the highest quality of care for children and families.
At Loma Linda University, that commitment to preparation is reflected in the Child Life Specialist MS program in the School of Behavioral Health, directed by Michelle Minyard-Widmann, MS, CCLS. In addition to leading the program, Michelle has long been involved in national efforts supporting the continued development of the Child Life field.
Along with other academicians, she has contributed to the ongoing work of advancing Child Life education, including efforts to establish accreditation for academic programs. After decades of discussion around accreditation and academic standards, the field is now moving toward the next step in Child Life education, strengthening the preparation of future child life specialists to uphold the highest standards of care.
Healthcare systems are increasingly recognizing that developmentally informed, trauma-informed care is an essential part of how children and families experience healthcare.
In 2023, those efforts moved forward with the creation of the Child Life Academic Society (CLAS), an organization formed by educators across the field.
"We started the Child Life Academic Society in 2023 to advance and protect the quality of child life education through programming, advocacy, and research," said Michelle.
Michelle currently serves as President-Elect of the Child Life Academic Society and will assume the presidency in 2027. Her focus, as she describes it, is on partnership and alignment, bringing educators together around shared goals that support students, emerging faculty, and the broader Child Life community.
While academic conversations continue to develop, the field itself is also expanding. Child Life has long been associated with pediatric hospital settings, but its presence is increasingly recognized in other areas of care, including radiology departments, palliative care, hospice services, private practice, and community-based programs. Healthcare systems are increasingly recognizing that developmentally informed, trauma-informed care is an essential part of how children and families experience healthcare.
"The skills of a child life specialist are transferable and can be used outside of the hospital setting as well," Michelle explained.
Early exposure helps students connect classroom knowledge with real clinical environments while developing confidence and professional awareness.
At Loma Linda University, preparation reflects that reality. Students are introduced to clinical environments early in their training, moving beyond theory into observation and applied learning from the beginning of the program. This exposure includes hospital-based experiences as well as structured environments such as the simulation lab, which allows students to practice communication and intervention skills in clinically informed scenarios before entering patient care settings.
"Students learn from a textbook, but there is something especially important about experiential learning and the impact it has on skill development," Michelle noted. "We start exposing students to the hospital environment the very first quarter."
Early exposure helps students connect classroom knowledge with real clinical environments while developing confidence and professional awareness. Because Child Life work is deeply relational, preparation also includes developing emotional resilience alongside technical skills.
As the profession continues to expand across healthcare and community settings, efforts to strengthen academic standards and educational pathways are also moving forward. The ongoing work toward accreditation reflects the field's commitment to supporting strong preparation for the next generation of child life specialists.
Interviewed and Written by Audrey I. Perez, AMFT, Systems, Families, & Couples PhD student