Benefits of using a Child Life Specialist
- child is prepared and educated on what to expect during a medical appointment or procedure
- reduced trauma, fear, or anxiety child or family members have about the medical experience
- medical jargon is broken down to age-appropriate levels for child and family members
- parents learn their child’s developmental needs and develop positive parenting strategies
- child learns to advocate for themselves in medical settings
“Child Life Specialists made a huge difference, I couldn’t have done it without them!
– Mary Kate, 6yo, Wilm’s Tumor
Meet the Child Core Team
We are professionally certified as Child Life Specialists, with a Master’s Degree in Child Development, with an emphasis on the medicalized child.
We have a range of experience over the past 15 years, including Child Life work at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, Lurie Children’s Hospital, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, CPMC Medical Center, Hospice By the Bay, and Community non-profits. We also belong to the Association of Child Life Professionals and are certified in Infant Massage and BioFeedback.
We have supported families within the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Emergency Room, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, as well as within the home setting for palliative and hospice pediatric families.
Child Core Mission & Values
Child Core Mission
Children are the core of families. Child Core was created for caregivers to educate, empower, and encourage their children to experience medical settings with confidence, not anxiety.
Our mission is to ensure children are supported and the family is strengthened during life’s changes.
Child Core Values
Resilience
All children deserve to thrive and learn to overcome challenges using healthy coping strategies
Family
A child’s family is their best support system and advocate
Empathy
All children and siblings deserve to feel safe and understood in their experiences