Cathy Humphreys, CCLS, McMaster University Child Life Studies Programme, Hamilton, Ontario
Chantal Leblanc, CCLS, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS
Nora Ullyot, CCLS, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON
Morgan Livingstone, CCLS, Consulting and Therapeutic Services, Toronto, ON

The Canadian Association of Child Life Leaders held its 30th annual meeting in Edmonton, Alberta in October 2008.  It was a time to celebrate not only where we have been as a profession and organization, but also to celebrate our future.  As child life has grown and flourished, Canadians have been integrally involved in charting the course of the profession. The purpose of this article is to present the distinct history, circumstances and contributions of Canadian child life professionals to the growth of our field. 

Child Life Professional Practice

Montreal Children’s Hospital started one of the first child life programs in North America in 1936.  There are now approximately 40 child life programs included in 12 children’s hospitals in Canada, and a number of paediatric units within Health Science Centres and community hospitals. While many child life specialists continue to work in traditional hospital based programs in Canada, there has been an increase in the number who have established positions within alternative or non-traditional settings such as dentistry, mental health, private practice, Family and Children’s Services, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Settlement and Integration Services, and so on.  As such, our profession continues to grow in Canada, through advocacy and community recognition of the value of child life skills.

Intercultural competence is an important part of our clinical practice. Canada is a cultural mosaic that embraces diversity, and as such the individual cultures within our country preserve their distinct identity and contribute to the fabric of the nation as a whole. Sensitive and respectful support of such diversity is an important element in meeting the needs of children, youth and families.

While Canada’s population ranks 36th in the world (www.geographic.org, 2003) with an estimated 32,848,041 people (Statistics Canada, 2007), we rank as the 4th largest country by geographical area in the world (www.geographic.org, 2000), This means that children and families must sometimes travel great distances for health care services, particularly for specialized paediatric care. Child life specialists must also provide support and strategies to assist children and families with the separation they experience from their home communities and support networks.

Our geographical distance also poses challenges for child life collegial collaboration and support.  In 1978, a meeting of child life directors was held, with yearly meetings thereafter, to discuss challenges and issues faced within the profession of child life in Canada.  Standards for child life programming, educational preparation, varying program sizes, budget constraints and solution-oriented support were part of those early meetings and led to the establishment of the Canadian Association of Child Life Directors in 1987.  In 1997, the name officially changed to the Canadian Association of Child Life Leaders (CACLL), to reflect the change within the health care system’s organizational structure, the transformation of most Child Life Director positions to that of a Professional Practice Leader, and to recognize the role of leadership in child life practitioners who work in the community.

As evidenced by our 30th annual meeting, we continue to support one another and convene yearly to network, plan advocacy strategies within Canada and share common issues about the child life profession. A recent partnership has developed between the CACLL, the Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres (CAPHC), and the Kids’ Health Links Foundation.  These are exciting partnerships expected to create a stronger voice on behalf of Canadian children and youth receiving health care.

Child Life Education Opportunities

McMaster University in Ontario began the first and only post-graduate child life specialist training programme in Canada within the Faculty of Health Sciences in 1989.  There are several Universities that offer child life or related courses and placements within their undergraduate Child and Youth or Child Studies degree programs; University of the Fraser Valley and the University of Victoria are among these. Through recognition of the needs of the culturally diverse and rural northern and First Nations population, a new child life concentration has been developed at Cambrian College. Several Canadian hospitals have also developed their own internship programs for eligible university graduates who are not associated with a university that meet certification eligibility requirements.

In recognition of the need for distance education opportunities, the first child life on-line professional development courses were developed at McMaster University in 1999.  These courses meet the Child Life Council’s (CLC) criteria for child life professional re-certification by professional development hours. (For more information see: www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/childlife).  These courses have met the ongoing learning needs of individuals from 10 countries to date. There is now an initiative underway to begin creating on-line child life university credit courses as a result of increasing demand.

Canadian Involvement in the Growth and Development of the Child Life Profession

Canadians have been actively involved in the evolution and growth of the child life profession from its beginning in North America.  Five Canadian child life specialists and pioneers (Ruth Snider 1989, Linda Skinner 1997, Kathie Moffatt 2003, Ruth Kettner 2004, LeeAnn Derbyshire Fenn 2008) have received the Child Life Council Distinguished Service Award as a result of their significant contributions. Ruth Snider, former Child Life Director of McMaster Children’s Hospital, was one of four leaders who met in 1981 as part of the Ad Hoc Committee on Structure for Child Life Professional Issues, which recommended the formation of the CLC.  Ruth went on to be the first Vice-President and second President of the Child Life Council.  Later, five Canadians were elected by the membership to participate in the Vision-to-Action meeting in 1996 that developed the first strategic plan for the future direction of the CLC.  Canadian members were actively involved in the development of the child life profession’s Mission, Vision and Values statements, the Official Documents (and its later revised version), publications Making Ethical Decisions in Child LifePractice and Guidelines for the Development of Child Life Programs among others. Through unanimous board approval in 1997, the CACLL President and liaison to the Board became a voting member of the Child Life Council Executive Board. In addition to the CACLL Liaison position, Canadian members have held other CLC Board positions, such as Member at Large, Secretary and CLCC Senior Chair.  CLC involvement has also been at the committee level, both as members and as Committee Chairs, including Certifying Chair, Bulletin Editor, and others.

Several Canadian child life specialists are now involved in child life research and have published articles, book chapters, and other resources. Over the past decade, there has been a noted increase in the reference to the child life profession in publications such as the Canadian Paediatric Society position statement on “Treatment decisions regarding infants, children and adolescents,” and the Brain Tumour Foundation’s “Brain Tumour Resource Handbook: Paediatric Version.”

It is an exciting time for child life in Canada. There are many opportunities for collaboration that will enhance paediatric psychosocial care through newly forged partnerships and alliances. The CACLL’s vision to provide leadership for excellence in psychosocial care for children and youth is becoming our reality as a result. We look forward to the coming year and to the reports we can make on our new developments during this 30th anniversary year.

References

Health Canada.  (2007) Health care system. Retrieved March 16, 2007 from
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss

Statistics Canada. (2007). Canada’s population clock.  Retrieved March 16, 2007 from  www.statcan.ca/english/edu/clock/population.htm

www.geographic.org (2000). Total Land Area. Retrieved February 19, 2009 from www.photius.com/wfb1999/rankings/total_land_area_0.html

www.geographic.org (2003). Population 2003. Retrieved February 19, 2009 from www.theodora.com/wfb2003/rankings/population_2003_0.html

** This article has been revised from its original form published as: Humphreys, C., Leblanc, C., Ullyot, N., Livingstone, M. (2007) Northern Lights- Celebrating Child Life in Canada. Child Life Council Bulletin, 25(3) 6,11.**