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Child Life Practicum Student Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Carilion Clinic

Child Life Specialist

Roanoke, VA

Teaches, supervises, and evaluates work of practicum students and may oversee a child life intern after one year of employment and/or completion of 4,000 paid hours as a CCLS. * Communicates with ...

KVC Health Systems

Practicum Student Therapist

Saint Louis, MO · On-site

$47.70K - $62.70K/yr

KVC Missouri Practicum Student Therapist (Children and Teens) Location: Webster Groves, MO Reports ... About KVC KVC Missouri is a nonprofit child placing and behavioral health agency with a long legacy ...

Carilion Clinic

Child Life Specialist

Roanoke, VA

Teaches, supervises, and evaluates work of practicum students and may oversee a child life intern after one year of employment and/or completion of 4,000 paid hours as a CCLS. * Communicates with ...

Carilion Clinic

Child Life Specialist

Roanoke, VA · On-site

Teaches, supervises, and evaluates work of practicum students and may oversee a child life intern after one year of employment and/or completion of 4,000 paid hours as a CCLS. * Communicates with ...

Carilion Clinic

Child Life Specialist

Roanoke, VA · On-site

Teaches, supervises, and evaluates work of practicum students and may oversee a child life intern after one year of employment and/or completion of 4,000 paid hours as a CCLS. * Communicates with ...

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

As of May 29, 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 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.

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 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 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.

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 May 2026, with employment types broken down into 40% Full Time, 35% Part Time, and 25% Contract. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $34,809 per year, or $16.7 per hour.

Child Life Specialist Utah Valley

Imh

Pleasant View, UT

Full-time

Medical, Life

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Job Description:

Full-time (40 hrs/wk)
Interacts directly with pediatric patients, families and other health team members and facilitates age-appropriate interactions and activities to help make the health care experience easier for patients and families. Reduces patient and family distress, increases effective patient and family coping, fosters patient independence, and promotes optimum development. Provides supervision to volunteers, child life pre-internship students and child life assistants.

Posting Specifics

$3000 Sign-On Bonus for new hires


Click on the video link below to see "A Day in the Life of a Child Life Specialist"

  • Pay Rate: Based on experience

  • Shift Details:
    * Variable hours throughout the week (Days, Afternoons, Evenings etc).
    * One Weekend Shift required each week.
    * Primarily at Utah Valley Hospital but may float to other Intermountain Hospitals (American Fork, Riverton or Primary Children's Lehi) to help provide coverage as needed.
    * Utah Valley needs: On-Call for Imaging / Sedation / Infusion and availability to pick up open ED shifts, supporting children of adult consults
  • Department: Child Life at Utah Valley Hospital
  • Additional Details: Must be a certified Child Life Specialist with active certification.

  • Previous Emergency Department, bereavement support and trauma experience in the Child Life field would be helpful.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution. Degree will be verified.

  • Documentation of a successfully completed 600-hour internship supervised by a Child Life Specialist

  • Child Life Certification from Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). Documentation required. OR eligible for Child Life Certification (to be obtained within 15 months of hire date).

  • Experience with pediatric patients in a medical, hospital or behavioral health setting

  • Experience in Child Life Core Competencies which include but are not limited to 1) Establishing supportive relationships 2) Meeting needs of child and family members, with a focus on social, emotional, and cognitive development. 3) Providing education to and communicating with children, families, and team members 4) Providing coping support and comfort management 5) Guiding children in therapeutic play techniques 6) Ongoing assessment and written documentation of clinical care

  • Computer experience in word processing, spreadsheets, and databases or similar applications.

Essential Functions

  • Accurately assesses, prioritizes, and documents pediatric patient and family care

  • Develops, implements, and evaluates effective pediatric patient and family centered health care plans

  • Provides developmentally appropriate education, psychological procedural preparation, coping support, comfort management, and play opportunities, to pediatric patients and families

  • Participates in selection, supervision, and training of new hires, students and volunteers

  • Provides education for staff (e.g., in-services, newsletter articles, etc.)

  • Assists with community outreach and Foundation partnerships

  • Adheres to Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Child Life Code of Ethics

  • Meets requirements outlined in child life department expectations

Skills

  • Pediatrics

  • Training and mentoring

  • Writing documentation

  • Communication

  • Relationship building

  • Taking initiative

  • Critical thinking

  • Teamwork

  • Growth Mindset

  • Accountability

Preferred Qualifications

  • Masters Degree Preferred

  • Registered Behavior Technician or Behavioral Health Experience preferred

  • Experience working with Autism and related disabilities or behavioral challenges preferred.

  • One year experience with pediatric patients in a medical, hospital or behavioral health setting.

  • Work experience as a child life assistant

  • Experience as a child life pre-internship/practicum student

  • Supervising volunteers while working with children and adolescents

  • Spanish speaking

Physical Requirements

  • Frequent interactions with patient care providers, patients, and visitors that require employee to verbally communicate as well as hear and understand spoken information, alarms, needs, and assess issues quickly and accurately, particularly during emergency situations to maintain safety

  • Ongoing need for employee to see and read information, documents, monitors, identify equipment and supplies, and be able to assess customer needs.

  • Manual dexterity of hands and fingers to manipulate complex and delicate equipment with precision and accuracy. This includes frequent computer use for typing, accessing needed information, etc.

  • Expected to lift and utilize full range of movement to transfer patients. Will also bend to retrieve, lift, and carry supplies and equipment. Typically includes items of varying weights, up to and including heavy items.

  • May be expected to stand in a stationary position for an extended period of time

Location:

Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital

Work City:

Provo

Work State:

Utah

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

The hourly range for this position is listed below. Actual hourly rate dependent upon experience.

$24.06 - $37.15

We care about your well-being - mind, body, and spirit - which is why we provide our caregivers a generous benefits package that covers a wide range of programs to foster a sustainable culture of wellness that encompasses living healthy, happy, secure, connected, and engaged.

Learn more about our comprehensive benefits package here.

Intermountain Health is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

At Intermountain Health, we usethe artificial intelligence ("AI") platform, HiredScore to improve your job application experience.HiredScore helps match your skills and experiences to the best jobs for you. WhileHiredScore assists in reviewing applications, all final decisions are made byIntermountain personnel to ensure fairness. We protect your privacy and follow strict data protection rules. Your information is safe and used only for recruitment. Thank you for considering a career with us and experiencing our AI-enhanced recruitment process.

All positions subject to close without notice.

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