A child life specialist generally works in health care focusing on the emotional and developmental needs of children and families.  Using play and other forms of communication, they seek to reduce the stress associated with a health care experience and enable children and families to cope in a positive manner.  A child life specialist must assess the psychosocial needs of children and families and provide appropriate therapeutic relationships and activities.  Hospitals may also refer to child life specialists as activity therapists, play therapists, or therapeutic recreation specialists. 

Work Environment
A child life specialist typically works in a hospital setting. Increasingly, child life specialists are also employed in non-hospital settings such as rehabilitation centers, hospices, or providing grief counseling to survivors of severe or fatal events.