Child Life Specialist

As part of the health care team at Kaiser Hospital Hayward, the Child Life Staff helps children, adolescents and families understand and cope with the hospital stay. Their goal is to make the hospitalization a positive and less stressful experience for all.

Staff
Child Life Specialists are professionals who have bachelor's or master's degrees in Child Life, child development, education, or a related field and are certified by the Child Life Council. Child Life Specialists also have special training in providing developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions for hospitalized children, adolescents, and their families.

Goals
The Goals of a Child Life Program are to:

• promote normal growth and development
• reduce the stress of hospitalization
• provide support to patients and their families

Services
The Child Life Specialist provides:

• therapeutic play at the bedside and in the playroom
• educate and prepare children for medical procedures
• support during procedures
• sibling and family support
• resource information for families regarding child development and hospitalization issue.