Child Life Practicum Application Materials

The 100-hour child life practicum program at Children’s Specialized Hospital follows the standards recommended by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). As the practicum experience is designated for students actively pursuing a career as a child life specialist, preference is given to students who have started their child life coursework, are affiliated with a university, and have not yet completed a practicum. *Students who have already completed a child life practicum may be considered if multiple practicum placements are available based on staff availability.

The Child Life practicum is primarily offered during the summer semester. The practicum may be offered at the New Brunswick or Mountainside campus - or a combination - based on staff availability. Hours are typically spread out over several weeks or the entire summer.*If a semester long internship is not being offered in the spring or fall, a practicum experience may be available.

Please check with the Child Life Clinical Internship Coordinator for availability.

Application and Selection Procedure

• After reviewing the guidelines, if the student feels that CSH will meet their practicum goals, the student may electronically submit the child life practicum application to the Child Life Clinical Internship Coordinator.
• In addition to the completed application, students should submit:
  • child life course verification form(s) found in the common child life internship application or a completed ACLP eligibility assessment via www.childlife.org
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation
  • A current resume

Applications must be submitted electronically to the Child Life Clinical Internship Coordinator, Christina Dellibovi, at cdellibovi@childrens-specialized.org by the summer deadline set by the ACLP for internships. All deadlines for student experiences follow the ACLP internship deadlines. These deadlines are typically the first week of January for summer, the middle of March for fall, and the first week of September for spring.

After reviewing all applications, the Child Life Coordinator will notify selected qualified candidates to schedule an interview. All eligible candidates with completed applications will be notified of their status within two weeks of the initial offer date. Accepted students will then be processed through volunteer services.