Child Life
Certified Child Life specialists support children, youth and families in coping with their health-care journey, including hospitalization, tests, procedures and ongoing illness.
Child Life specialists aim to meet each family’s unique emotional and psychosocial needs. They use play to help normalize and support their coping needs. They work across the hospital, both in hospital units where patients have short- or long-term stays, and in hospital clinics.
Child Life specialists help to reduce stress and make hospitalization a more positive experience for children and teens through:
- Child- and teenager-friendly preparation and explanation for medical tests and procedures
- Play opportunities, to normalize the hospital environment
- Patient- and family-centred coping plans
- Therapeutic interventions during procedures and tests
- Working with the health care team to promote a family-centred care approach
Where we offer support
Certified Child Life specialists provide service in certain areas of BC Children’s Hospital, including:
- Ambulatory surgical clinics (ear, nose and throat; cardiac; general surgery; dental; orthopedics; plastic surgery; neurology)
- Anesthetic Care Unit
- Emergency Department
- Laboratory (for bloodwork support)
- Medical Day Unit
- Medical imaging
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
- Renal Dialysis Unit
- Sunny Hill services
- Inpatient medical/surgical units
- Burn care
- Oncology, hematology and bone marrow transplant services
Additional supports
Certified Child Life specialists also partner with pet therapy volunteers, therapeutic clowns and Child Life volunteers to offer the best possible support to every child, family or caregiver based on their needs.
Contact us
Parents and caregivers
Bloodwork appointments: please email labchildlife@cw.bc.ca with details of your appointment to coordinate support ahead of your child’s appointment.
Referring health care professionals
Please complete the Child Life referral form (PDF), and email it to: childyouththerapeuticservicesadmin@cw.bc.ca.
If you have questions or require additional support:
Phone: 604-875-2345 ext. 7648
Child Life internships
Find information on Child Life internships in the Train with Us section.
Additional resources
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Indigenous Health
We advocate for and provide support to Indigenous patients and families who are visiting the hospital.