Preparing for the Exam

Below you will find the publications and other references that the Child Life Certification Commission recommends candidates use to study.  These are the only exam preparatory materials endorsed by CLCC and ACLP.

Some candidates form local or online study groups and some have found it helpful to connect with instructors and/or internship supervisors for guidance regarding their particular strengths and weaknesses.

Recommended References

The following publications are used to develop and validate the Child Life Professional Certification Exam. Candidates wishing to prepare for the exam should be familiar with their contents

• Meeting Children’s Psychosocial Needs Across the Healthcare Continuum Rollins, Bolig, & Mahan (2018)
• The Handbook of Child Life Thompson (2018)
• Psychosocial Care of Children in Hospitals: A Clinical Practice Manual Gaynard, et al. (1998)
• A Child in Pain: What Health Professionals Can Do to Help Kuttner, L. (2010)
• How to Help Children through a Parent’s Serious Illness McCue & Bonn (2011)
• Making Ethical Decisions in Child Life Practice Child Life Council (2021)
• ACLP Official Documents ACLP (2020)
• Research Methods for Child Life Specialists Burns-Nader et al (2021)
• Emotional Safety in Pediatrics Gordon (2021)
• The Value of Certified Child Life Specialists: Direct and Downstream Optimization of Pediatric Patient and Family Outcomes Boles, J. et al. (2020) 
• Health equity and children’s rights Council on Community Pediatrics and Committee on Native American Child Health (2010)
• Technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8 National Association for the Education of Young Children & Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College. (2012)
• The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health Pediatrics (2019)
• Any normal child growth and development textbook

ACLP Child Life Certification Exam Study Guide