“We’re Going Through Tough Times Right Now”: How Students of Color Navigate the Field of Child Life

Abstract

The child life profession is predominantly White. To date, there is no research on the experiences of child life students of color navigating child life academic programs and internships. The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze the experiences of child life students of color. Twelve child life students of color took part in in-depth interviews with the authors. Qualitative thematic analysis produced five themes: barriers to progress, protective factors, fitting one’s marginalized identity into child life, connecting with patients and families, and the social landscape of child life. Research and professional implications are addressed.

“Being a Child Life Student Has Definitely Been Difficult”: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Experiences of Emerging Professionals

“…Aside from some preliminary descriptive work on very specific subgroups of emerging child life professionals (Adelson et al, 2022;Gourley et al, 2023), much of the current discourse on their needs and experiences entering the child life profession exists in social media, unpublished theses, and conference presentations and posters. The amount of attention the topic has garnered demonstrates high interest, yet there is minimal-to-no data to inform knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of emerging child life professionals and the CCLS with whom they may someday train or work alongside.…”

“…In the current moment, there are varied and often complex pathways to child life certification depending on access to and achievements in academic and community-based settings (Child Life Certification Commission, 2023). For some emerging professionals, financial resources have been a primary consideration in the pursuit of child life certification (Gourley et al, 2023;Hammond, 2021); whereas, the likely need to relocate for clinical training experiences may be a significant barrier for emerging professionals with family responsibilities and employment commitments (Sisk et al, 2023). Especially pertinent in today's context, the COVID-19 pandemic also presented difficulties for both practicing child life professionals (Jenkins et al, 2023) and emerging professionals by suspending or constraining clinical training and volunteer opportunities needed for certification eligibility.…”