Code of Professional Practice
In 2011 a working group was assembled to develop two distinct policies: 1) regarding criminal activity for certificants and certification applicants and 2) a disciplinary policy for ethical breaches. Members of the group began by reviewing existing policies of other like professions. This benchmarking revealed approaches to these issues that appealed to the group and the policy that has developed is modeled after elements from different professional associations.
It rapidly became evident that these two policies should be linked and incorporated into one document that also included the Code of Ethical Responsibility. The working group developed the Code of Professional Practice that encompasses ethical dilemmas, behavior that reflects on the child life profession, and conduct that may put the general public at risk.
CCLSs will be asked for their agreement at critical points in the certification process - at the time of application for the certification exam, applying for recertification, and when making the annual certification maintenance payment. All CCLSs will be required to provide confirmation of their consent to abide by the code prior to the end of 2013.
CLCC No Longer Accepting Paid Work Experience to Satisfy the Clinical Experience Requirement
The May 24, 2012 Child Life Professional Certification Exam was the final administration for which candidates who have not completed a child life internship or fellowship were seated for the exam.
All applicants for the fall 2012 and subsequent exams are required to complete the required clinical experience through a child life internship or fellowship; paid work experience is no longer accepted.
As the profession of child life continues to mature, and as the demands on CCLSs become more rigorous, it becomes increasingly important for those representing the profession to present to other professionals in a consistent and predictable manner. For child life to truly establish itself as a viable and defendable service to children and families, those responsible for employing, collaborating with and advocating for child life should be able to have specific expectations about the amount and type of training received by each individual holding child life certification.
CLC does not have the authority to require academic institutions to coordinate or consolidate their programs, and CLC has endorsed diversity in the academic backgrounds of its practitioners. However, CLC does have the authority and responsibility to require consistency in the clinical experience an incoming CCLS receives prior to certification. That consistency can best be achieved by standardizing child life internship and fellowship training, and requiring such training prior to certification.
CLCC to Require One Child Life Course Taught by a CCLS in 2013
All applicants for the fall 2013 and subsequent exams will be required to successfully complete a minimum of one child life course taught by a Certified Child Life Specialist as part of the course work requirement.
CLCC seeks to ensure that individuals pursuing a career in child life will be proficient in their future practice by requiring an academic background that includes knowledge essential to child life practice. Academic courses that prepare, support, and provide a solid academic and practical foundation for students allows them to build a foundation of knowledge in the core competencies of child life.
When preparing students for areas of specialty such as child life, having content experts providing instruction is of great value. Those who have earned the CCLS credential by successfully completing the Child Life Professional Certification Exam have demonstrated a level of expertise in child life that makes them uniquely suitable to instruct aspiring child life practitioners.
CLCC recommends that the newly-required course have a focus on children in the healthcare environment. The definition of the parameters for this course can be found here. CLC has compiled a list of academic institutions offering a class taught by a CCLS that may meet the criteria. The list is self-reported and CLC is not responsible for, nor does it endorse, the content or quality of any of these courses. It is up to each student to determine if the CCLS teaching the class is a current CCLS (we encourage students to check the CCLS Directory), and confirm with the instructor that the class meets the requirements set forth by CLC. CLC does not pre-approve any courses. Students should contact the institutions listed to ask any specific questions, such as determining if any pre-requisites are required. View List
