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Child Life Practicum Student information

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How much do child life practicum student jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for child life practicum student in the United States is $16.74, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.42 and $18.03 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What types of hands-on experiences can I expect during a Child Life Practicum, and how do these prepare me for future roles?

As a Child Life Practicum Student, you'll gain exposure to a variety of real-world situations, such as observing certified Child Life Specialists, participating in therapeutic play sessions, and assisting with preparation and support for pediatric procedures. You'll collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including nurses and social workers, to understand the emotional and developmental needs of children in healthcare settings. This hands-on experience helps you build foundational skills in communication, assessment, and intervention, all of which are crucial for advancing to internships and, ultimately, professional Child Life roles.

What is the difference between Child Life Practicum Student vs Child Life Intern?

AspectChild Life Practicum StudentChild Life Intern
Required CredentialsUndergraduate or graduate student in child life, related field, or pursuing certificationTypically enrolled in child life internship program, often post-bachelor's or during graduate studies
Work EnvironmentHospitals, clinics, or healthcare settings; supervised by certified child life specialistsSimilar settings; may have more responsibilities and direct patient interaction
Employer & Industry UsageEducational requirement for certification; part of training processRequired internship for certification eligibility; often a paid or unpaid position

The main difference between a Child Life Practicum Student and a Child Life Intern lies in their training stage and responsibilities. Practicum students are typically in the early stages of their education, gaining observation and basic experience, while interns are more advanced, performing more direct patient care under supervision. Both roles are essential for certification and work in similar healthcare environments.

What are Child Life Practicum Students?

Child Life Practicum Students are individuals who are completing a supervised, introductory educational experience in a hospital or healthcare setting to learn about the child life profession. They observe and assist certified Child Life Specialists as they support children and families coping with hospitalization, illness, or medical procedures. The practicum allows students to gain firsthand insight into the field, develop foundational skills, and determine if they wish to pursue a career as a Child Life Specialist. This experience is typically unpaid and is considered a prerequisite for more advanced internships in child life.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Child Life Practicum Student, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Child Life Practicum Student, you need foundational knowledge of child development, psychology, and basic medical terminology, often supported by coursework in child life or related fields. Familiarity with documentation systems, play therapy tools, and hospital protocols is typically expected. Strong communication, empathy, and adaptability are vital soft skills for supporting children and families in stressful healthcare environments. These skills and qualities are crucial for effectively easing patient anxiety, fostering trust, and ensuring positive developmental experiences in clinical settings.
More about Child Life Practicum Student jobs
What states have the most Child Life Practicum Student jobs? States with the most job openings for Child Life Practicum Student jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Child Life Practicum Student jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Child Life Practicum Student jobs are:
Child Life Practicum Student jobs near you
Infographic showing various Child Life Practicum Student job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 96% Full Time, and 3% Part Time. Highlights an 81% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $34,809 per year, or $16.7 per hour.
Child Life Practice Leader-Stead Family Children's Hospital

Child Life Practice Leader-Stead Family Children's Hospital

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 23 days ago

University Of Iowa rating

6.8

Company rating: 6.8 out of 10

Based on 84 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

409th of 538 rated colleges and universities

Job description

Within the Division of Children's and Women's Services and Patient Care, the Child Life Practice Leader is an expert child life specialist who leads evidence-based, patient- and family-centered clinical care of children and families. The Child Life Practice Leader focuses on improving outcomes for children by leading child life practice and patient care within the Child Life program and throughout CWS and SFCH, including, but not limited to Medical Center University and Medical Center North Liberty campuses, IRL, and UICC pediatric clinics. The CLPL provides leadership based on systematic evaluation, evidence-based practice, and research. This person assures delivery of high quality, safe care based on established and evidence-based standards of care and competency of child life and other health care staff across inpatient and outpatient settings.
Position Responsibilities
  • Clinical Practice: Maintains and advances her/his own clinical knowledge and expertise by regularly providing direct patient care throughout all patient care areas as assigned by the Child Life program manager.
  • Education: Leads/provides advanced health education and development of SFCH health care staff, including child life specialists, child life assistants, nurses, providers, pharmacists, technicians, and other health care team members involved in the care of children.
    • Assures child life staff competency by leading/coordinating child life staff orientation and onboarding, as well as leading/conducting ongoing competency/training programs.
    • Collaborates with colleagues on the SFCH health care team (e.g. NPL, CPL, nurse clinicians, practitioners, etc., to develop, assess, and assure competency in caring for children of all ages, developmental levels, and abilities.
    • Coordinates/leads Child Life internship program.
    • Coordinates/leads Child Life practicum student experiences as part of the UI Health academic mission.
    • Communicate detailed, complex medical and technical information to a variety of audiences.
  • Quality, Safety, Evidence-based Practice, and Research:
    • Support the conduct of research and translate findings from evidence-based research into clinical practice.
    • Lead evaluation and implementation of clinical technologies and other evidence-based strategies within the Child Life program and throughout the SFCH health care team that support patient care.
  • Compliance and Regulatory: To ensure safe and effective delivery of care to children:
    • Assures CL staff compliance with CWS, SFCH, UI Health Care, and University policies.
    • Provides educations and training to assure CL staff compliance with external regulatory standards (e.g., TJC, IDIA, etc.)
    • Lead development and implementation of procedures and share responsibility for Quality Improvement (QI) plan with Child Life program manager and other relevant CWS/SFCH leaders.
  • Human Resources:
    • Use expert knowledge to observe/mentor care delivery by child life staff, interns, practicum students, and nurses (in collaboration with CWS nursing leaders -e.g. NPL, CPL).
    • Provided evaluative feedback and recommendations regarding staff competency and performance to the Child Life Program manager.
    • Assures/monitors Child Life staff compliance and qualifications.
  • Data Collection and Management
    • Child Life metrics - collate/monitor daily metrics submitted by staff; share with CL manager to inform strategic planning.

Position Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Child Life or related field is required.
  • CCLS - Current certification as a Child Life Specialist (ACLP) is required.

Experience Requirements
  • Considerable clinical experience (3-5 years) in direct patient care as a child life specialist is required.
  • Demonstrates knowledge and experience with:
  • Staff education and development
  • Evidence-based practice
  • Outcomes based practice and quality improvement
  • Demonstrates strong leadership including:
  • Analytical thinking/problem solving.
  • Self-starter and motivated; takes initiative.
  • Serves as change agent; leads change process including implementation of EBP.
  • Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills and collaboration with interdisciplinary team. Demonstrates team leadership.
  • Demonstrates excellent verbal communication skills, including ability to articulate issues professionally, yet assertively and persuasively.
  • Demonstrates excellent written communication skills.
  • Role models professional practice and has reputation for clinical and service excellence
  • Demonstrates knowledge and experience with public speaking, developing and delivering formal presentations to groups - internal and external stakeholders
  • Proficient in computer software applications

Highly Desired Qualifications
  • Experience as a child life specialist in a children's hospital/system setting.
  • Clinical experience (direct patient care) in an academic health care setting
  • Member/active participation in professional organization(s) (ACLP at a minimum)
  • Demonstrated experience planning curriculums, teaching in a formal classroom setting (in person and virtual)
  • Demonstrated experience working with/supervising/mentoring health care undergraduate or graduate students

Successful candidates will be subject to a criminal background check and education/credential verification. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.
This position is not eligible for university sponsorship for employment authorization.
In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a "Relevant File" to the submission:
  • Resume
  • Cover Letter

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.
For additional questions, please contact Lydia Messer at lydia-messer@uiowa.edu
Benefits Highlights
Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans
The University of Iowa offers a generous benefits package, including paid vacation and paid sick leave. Complete information regarding the full benefits package may be viewed at: Benefits | University Human Resources - The University of Iowa (uiowa.edu)

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