Care For Children

Child Life Therapy

What is a child life specialist?

Child life specialists are experts in child development, who promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization. Understanding that a child’s well-being depends on the support of the family, child life specialists provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. They also play a vital role in educating caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children under stress.

Jennifer Mangers, Child Life Specialist, joined Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois (HPNI) in the summer of 2010 to bring this specialized expertise to the pediatric care team.

She received her undergraduate degree in Human and Child Development and her master’s degree in Child Life from Illinois State University. Prior to joining HPNI, she worked in Pediatric Intensive Care Units at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She has also held positions on bereavement and palliative care committees. Jennifer has spent the last several years advocating for the patient and their siblings to have a voice in difficult decision making. She believes that a child’s work is play and has used medical, therapeutic and recreational to learn how a child is dealing with a difficult situation in order to create positive ways for them to cope.

Services provided by Hospice & Palliative Care Child Life Specialist

• Ease a child’s fear and anxiety with therapeutic and recreational play
• Encourage understanding and cooperation by providing non-medical preparation and support for children undergoing tests, surgeries and other medical procedures
• Advocate for family-centered care and support during stressful situations
• Provide support and education for siblings of patients with chronic or life threatening illnesses. These opportunities may include supportive play, education about the grieving process, death and loss, as well as funeral education and support
• Provide opportunities for family-centered events and activities (picnics, sporting events, outdoor activities)
• Provide education and resources to parents who are struggling with the questions that are being asked by the children in their home through books, websites and articles
• Provide opportunities for memory making and family enriching activities towards the end of life and to allow bonding between the patient and their family. Some of these opportunities include storytelling, hand prints and molds, journaling and drawing
• The unique factor of the Child Life Specialist in hospice is that the support occurs in the home, where the families feel most comfortable and secure

To view more information, please check out the Child Life Council website.

Child Life Internship

Every Fall, HPNI offers an internship that follows all the requirements of the Child Life Council Certification. The internship is a 14-week internship working specifically with the Child Life Specialist.

The following are the deadlines for applications:
May 5 for the Fall Session

For information, contact Jennifer Mangers, Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois Child Life Therapist.