Child life certification question?

Question

I want to work in the child life field.. do you need to have the certification? I was doing some research in the field and found that there were people working in child life without the certification... what is the difference?

Answer 1

I am also going into Child Life. The minimum requirement is to have your Bachelor's, then do an internship. Some hospitals might hire you right after you finish your internship, but I believe it is best to go ahead and get certified as well. You can get a job without it, but personally I think it is better to be certified too.

Answer 2

Requirements for working with children in the USA are based on state laws.  Refer to the business and education codes of your state.

http://www.childlife.org/Certification/