Child Life Internship and Practicums

About the Child Life Department

• Oldest Child Life program in Texas, celebrating 40 years in (2014)
• Among the largest Child Life programs in the country (30 full time CLS)
• The child life department includes: child life specialists, child life assistants, music therapists, a special events/arts program coordinator,  and facility dogs
• There are 6 playrooms hospital wide and a therapeutic arts room
• There is pet therapy weekly, in addition to seven in house facility dogs

Overview of the Internship

Children's Health clinical internship program has met the minimum standards for a clinical internship program set forth by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). Children's Health clinical internship program is currently accredited and recognized by the ACLP on their professional website. 

• We offer fall, spring, and summer internships
• All rotations are at the Children’s Medical Center Dallas campus
• The internship is 600+ hours, 15 weeks long, 5 days a week,  with 2 main rotation placements that are each six weeks long, and then with an additional 1 week rotation placement of choice
• The internship consists of daily student group sessions as well as other readings, assignments, and journals throughout
• Large assignments include: two small case presentations, a diagnosis presentation and a project presentation
• There is a designated site visit week for interns to explore other child life programs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
• The interns will work a designated holiday each semester (Easter, July 4 or Thanksgiving)
• The application and detailed requirements are on www.childrens.com

Overview of the Practicum

• We offer fall, spring, and summer practicums
• Placements will be at either the Children’s Medical Center Dallas and/or Plano campuses
• The practicum is 192+ hours, 12 weeks long, 2 days a week,  with 2 main rotation placements that are each six weeks long. The practicum students get to choose the two, consistent days a week to come (Tues, Wed, or Thurs)
• The practicum is observational based with the hands-on activities being planning and implementing therapeutic activities in the playroom and at bedside and introducing services and building rapport with patients/families
• The practicum consists of daily student group sessions as well as other readings, assignments, therapeutic activities and journals throughout
• Large assignments include:  individual stress potential, census stress potential and portfolio presentation
• The application and detailed requirements are on www.childrens.com

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I still apply for a practicum or internship if I already have a degree? Yes, but you must be affiliated (enrolled) with a University
• I will graduate before the practicum/internship starts, so I will not be affiliated with a university. Is this okay? No, all candidates must be affiliated
• I really want to do my practicum at Children’s; will I still be eligible for an internship at Children’s? No, students can complete a practicum or internship at Children’s, not both.
• I am interested in gaining more volunteer experience, what can I do? We recommend volunteering at camps, day care centers, children’s hospitals, babysitting, etc
• I completed a practicum at my university child development center; will this suffice for the child life practicum? No, a practicum must be conducted under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist

Currently Affiliated Schools

• Below is a list of schools currently affiliated with Children’s Health. We will consider adding additional schools with child life programs on a case by case basis:
  • University of North Texas
  • Texas Woman’s University
  • Texas Christian University
  • University of Texas at Dallas
  • Texas State University
  • Ohio University
  • The University of Alabama
  • University of Iowa
  • The University of Georgia
  • East Carolina University
  • Towson University
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

For more information/ questions

Krista Stringer, MS, CCLS, Education Coordinator
214-456-3209
krista.stringer@childrens.com 

Visit websites for current and updated information
www.childlife.org and www.childrens.com