At BC Children's Hospital we have an extensive team of Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) providing direct patient care throughout the various hospital care areas. CCLS's are educated and clinically trained in child development and the impact of hospitalization on children and youth. All of our CCLS's are certified through the Association of Child Life Professionals. CCLS's are experts on evidence-based therapeutic interventions that minimize stress and maximize social-emotional coping for children and youth in the hospital setting.

In the hospital setting, children and youth experience various challenging events that are often stressful and anxiety-inducing. Certified Child Life Specialists help our patients to cope with these events by providing clinical interventions in the form of preparation for hospital tests and procedures, support during tests and procedures, therapeutic play, education about hospitalization, and teaching coping methods and strategies. 

• developmentally appropriate and individualized patient preparation for medical tests and procedures
  
• support and therapeutic inverventions to promote coping during medical tests and procedures 
  
• therapeutic play sessions including healthcare play to reduce patient anxiety and promote mastery of medical experiences
  
• collaborating with the patient's medical team to maximize the patient's coping in the hospital environment
  
• working closely with the patient's family to promote a family-centred care approach
  
• bringing a variety of recreational play opportunities into our hospital setting 
• providing patients with opportunities for peer socialization
  
• coordination of holiday events, entertainment, and special visitors
• coordinating with the Therapeutic Clown Program and Dog Visitation Program (see below)

Other Programs: 

Creative Art Program:

The Creative Art Program provides therapeutic art experiences for patients and families in order to support healing, coping and resilience. Through individual art opportunities at the bedside, art groups in the studio, special events, and one-on-one art therapy sessions, patients and families are invited to explore, create and express.