Areas Where Child Life Services Are Offered

• Program Description

  Child life, Creative Arts Therapy & School Programs Vision The Department of Child Life, Creative Arts Therapy and School Programs at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware supports patients and their family members cope with illness, injury, medical treatments and the overall healthcare experience. A team of Child Life Specialists, Art and Music Therapists, Child Activity Coordinators and Teachers provides a multifaceted approach to meet the unique needs of children and families during stressful medical events. Our Gaming and Technology and Pet Therapy Coordinator help craft innovative and individualized programs. We strive to empower all children and their families while partnering with them to meet their individual needs utilizing innovative and comprehensive interventions. Our clinical services are provided across inpatient and outpatient populations in accordance with Child Life Standards of Clinical Practice. Mission To address the unique and changing psychosocial needs of children and families spanning the continuum of care. We provide developmentally appropriate play/recreation and activities, education and preparation for medical procedures, emotional support, academic instruction and holistic interventions to address healing. Department staff members serve as a resource within the hospital and the community, supporting the commitment of Nemours to restore and improve the health of all children. As an integral member of an interdisciplinary team, we are champions of developmentally appropriate, psychosocially sound, family-centered care for children and their families across the Delaware Valley.

• Year the Program Began

  1970

• Facility Type

  Free Standing Children's Hospital

• How patients receive child life services

  A patient referral or consultation is required for some child life programs and services

• Areas where child life services are provided on the main campus
  •  Ambulatory Clinics (Primary Care & Specialty)
  •  Ambulatory Surgery
  •  Emergency Center
  •  Inpatient Acute Care
  •  Inpatient Critical Care (includes PICU, NICU, and CICU)
  •  Inpatient Hematology/Oncology
  •  Palliative Care Services
  •  Radiology
  •  Trauma Service
  •  Other

• Provision of services to areas or facilities outside of the main campus

  Outside areas are not serviced

• Areas where child life services are provided off the main campus

  None of the above

• Who does the child life program report to?

  Patient/Family Services

Complementary Programming

• Animal Assisted Activities (Pet Therapy) Program

  Managed by the volunteer program

• Arts in Medicine Program
  •  Offered by the child life department
  •  Program is not offered

• Art Therapy Program

  Offered by the child life department

• Clown Care Program

  Program is not offered

• Facility Dog Program

  Program is not offered

• Inpatient Hospital-Based Playrooms Program

  Offered by the child life department

• Integrative Care Program

  Offered by the hospital/other department

• Music Therapy

  Offered by the child life department

• Outdoor Play Space Program

  Offered by the hospital/other department

• Outdoor Healing Space Program

  Offered by the hospital/other department

• Outpatient Play Space Program
  •  Offered by the child life department
  •  Program is not offered

• Recreation Therapy Program

  Offered by the child life department

• Resource Library Space Program
  •  Offered by the hospital/other department
  •  Program is not offered

• Sensory Integration Space Program

  Offered by the child life department

• Sibling Drop-Off Program

  Program is not offered

• Volunteer Program
  •  Offered by the hospital/other department
  •  Managed by the volunteer program

Child Life Staffing

• Total Number of Child Life Program Staff

  30

• Total Number of Child Life Program Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)

  23

• Number of Weekdays the Child Life Program is Staffed (Monday-Friday)

  5

• Number of Weekend Days the Child Life Program is Staffed (Saturday and Sunday)

  2

• # Child Life Specialist FTE Positions That Are Exempt

  16

• # Days Per Week Program is Staffed

  7

• # of Child Life Specialists

  16

Internship Availability Information

• Does this program offer internships?

  Yes

• Is the Internship paid? -

• Internship Coordinator Name

  Laura Mitchell

• Internship Coordinator Email

  Laura.Mitchell@nemours.org

• Internship Coordinator Phone

  (302) 651-4849

• Web Site

  https://www.nemours.org/content/nemours/wwwv2/services/support/naidhcsupport/childlife.html

• Number of Internship Hours Offered

  640

• Internship Application Requirements
  •  Relevant Volunteer Experience
  •  Other

• Does this program follow the ACLP recommended application deadlines?

  Yes

• Does this program accept unaffiliated interns?

  Yes

• Does this program require liability insurance for unaffiliated interns?

  Yes

• Does this program accept international interns?

  Yes

• Number of Open Internship Positions - Fall Cycle

  1

• Number of Open Internship Positions - Winter/Spring Cycle

  1

• Number of Open Internship Positions - Summer Cycle

  1

• Number of Open Internship Positions - Other/Non-standard Cycle

  0

• Does the internship require application materials in addition to the common application?

  Yes

• Does the internship application require official transcripts?

  No

• Does the internship require an in-person interview?

  No

Practicum Availability Information

• Does this program offer practicums?

  Yes

• Practicum Coordinator Name

  Jana Teagle

• Practicum Coordinator Email

  Jana.Teagle@nemours.org

• Practicum Coordinator Phone

  (302) 298-7316

• Practicum Program Website

  https://www.nemours.org/content/nemours/wwwv2/services/support/naidhcsupport/childlife.html

• Total # of practicum hours

  120

• Practicum Application Requirements
  •  Relevant Volunteer Experience
  •  Relevant Work Experience
  •  Other

• Does this program accept unaffiliated practicum students?

  Yes

• Does this program require liability insurance for unaffiliated practicum students?

  Yes

• Does this program accept international practicum students?

  Yes

• Number of Open Practicum Positions - Fall Cycle

  1

• Number of Open Practicum Positions - Winter/Spring Cycle

  1

• Number of Open Practicum Positions - Summer Cycle

  1

• Number of Open Practicum Positions - Other/Non-standard Cycle

  0

• Does the practicumapplication require official transcripts?

  No

• Does the practicum require an in-person interview?

  No

Fellowship Availability Information

• Offers Fellowships

  No

Volunteer Opportunities

• Are there volunteer opportunities at this hospital?

  Yes

• Hospital Volunteer Program Phone #

  302-651-6081

• # of Hospital Volunteers

  750

• Are there child life specific volunteer opportunities at this hospital?

  Yes

• Child Life Volunteer Program Phone #

  302-651-6081

• # of Child Life Program Volunteers

  50

Main Hospital Beds

• Number of Pediatric Medical/Surgical Inpatient Beds at Main Facility

  114

• Number of beds in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at main facility

  24

• Number of beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at main facility

  32

• Number of beds in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at main facility

  14

• Number of Pediatric Hematology and/or Oncology and/or Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) beds combined at main facility

  12

• Number of pediatric psychiatric beds at main facility

  0

• Number of pediatric rehabilitation beds at main facility

  12

Satellite Hospital Beds

• Number of Pediatric Medical/Surgical Inpatient Beds at Satellite Location

  0

• Number of beds in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at satellite location

  0

• Number of beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at satellite location

  0

• Number of beds in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at satellite location

  0

• Number of Pediatric Hematology and/or Oncology and/or Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) beds combined at satellite location

  0

• Number of pediatric psychiatric beds at satellite location

  0

• Number of pediatric rehabilitation beds at satellite location

  0