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The "Jockey Club Child Life Care Project" is funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charitable Trust and initiated by the Children's Cancer Foundation's Child Life Service. It is a three-year project starting in 2020 with a mission of "Conquer Challenges ahead with our Children" and is dedicated to promoting the professional development of child life service in Hong Kong.
The work of Child Life Specialists includes preparing children for treatment, assisting in improving their coping ability, empowering parents for their caregiving role, providing support for patients and siblings at home, and organising various activities for their psychosocial needs. Child Life Specialists provide comprehensive psychosocial care to hospitalised children through communication and collaboration with the medical team.
Under the "Jockey Club Child Life Care Project", the Child Life Team will strengthen their public education efforts and provide various appropriate and comprehensive services and information to parents, healthcare professionals, and community members, working together to help young patients overcome every challenge.
From Left to Right: Board of Governor of Children's Cancer Foundation - Mr Benson Cheung; Deputy Hospital Chief Executive of United Christian Hospital - Dr. Tse Man-li; Director of Hospital Authority New Territories West Cluster and Hospital Executive Director of Tuen Mun Hospital - Dr. Simon Tang Yiu-hang; Executive Manager of Charities (Grant Making-Rehabilitation & Medical) of the Hong Kong Jockey Club - Ms. Jasmine Chung; Chairman of Children's Cancer Foundation - Mr. Tony Ho; Hospital Chief Executive, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine - Dr. Lee Tsz Leung; Doctor's coordinating committee of the Children's Cancer Foundation - Dr. Yuen Hui-leung; Board of Governor of Children's Cancer Foundation - Mr. Timothy Lam
Origin of the Service
In 1990, The Children's Cancer Foundation pioneered the establishment of the first play corner in the pediatric oncology ward at Prince of Wales Hospital. Volunteers regularly engaged with the children through play. Two years later, led by a clinical psychologist, the Foundation initiated the concept of hospital play services in public hospitals to help oncology patients cope with the challenges caused by their illnesses through play. The Foundation employed four full-time social workers to extend their services across oncology wards in five hospitals with volunteer training provided to enhance the service. Over time, the Child Life team gradually expanded.
At the outset, full-time employees of the foundation were sometimes seen as volunteers who merely accompanied children during play. However, the team firmly believed that hospital play could cater to the psychological needs of patients, helping them navigate their treatment journey more holistically. This belief led the Foundation to dispatch its first hospital play coordinator to the United States for Child Life training in 1997, gaining insight into the professionalism required in Child Life services. Since then, the team has worked tirelessly to professionalise their services and maintain ties with international professional groups with an aim to offer high-quality services and support adhering to international standards to young patients and their families.
Exchange between Child Life Specialists from the United States and the Foundation's Child Life Specialist.
Since the Hong Kong government started planning the construction of a children's hospital in 2008, numerous paediatric doctors and nurses underwent training and exchange programs in the United States and Canada leading to greater recognition of Child Life services within the medical community. In 2015, the Foundation transitioned the name of the hospital play service to "Child Life," and the staff was renamed as "Child Life Specialists." This change signified the team's commitment to aligning with international paediatric care standards and facilitated clearer and more convenient communication with international medical groups. This transformation marked a significant milestone in Hong Kong's child life service journey.
Development history of the Foundation's Child Life Service
Vision and Values
The Child Life Service has gained recognition and support from medical staff, patients, and parents across Hong Kong. However, due to various factors such as funding, training, and personnel structure, its implementation has not been widespread. Fortunately, support from donors and cooperation from medical teams over the past decade have enabled the Foundation to achieve encouraging results. Building upon these experiences, the Foundation aims to further promote the development of Child Life Services in paediatrics, with the goal of benefiting an even larger number of young patients.
Currently, the training for Child Life Specialists is primarily facilitated by overseas universities. The Foundation's Child Life Specialists, having amassed considerable clinical experience, are now qualified to become internship trainers. Looking ahead, the Foundation aims to promote the localisation of this profession further, which includes collaborating with universities on research projects, gathering local data, and supporting the evolution of the service towards an evidence-based practice. Additionally, the Foundation aspires to maintain communication with societal stakeholders to endorse this service as a standardised auxiliary medical profession within paediatrics.
Child Life Specialists collaborate with medical staff to support young patients during medical procedures within the hospital operating room.
Hospital partners
- Haematology and Oncology Unit, Hong Kong Children's Hospital
- Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, United Christian Hospital
- Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Tuen Mun Hospital
Child Life Team
- Composed of professionally qualified Child Life Specialists, Child Life Assistants, project officer, and research assistant
Getting to Know Child Life Specialist
Qualifications
- The Children's Cancer Foundation is the first organisation in Hong Kong to adopt the professional code of conduct, training level, and service standards set out by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) in the United States (www.childlife.org). Since 1997, the Foundation has trained its staff to achieve the organisation's internationally recognised professional qualifications, elevating Hong Kong's Child Life Service to global standards.
- The Association of Child Life Professionals was founded in 1982 with the aim of developing, promoting, and regulating the professional standards of the industry, advocating for high-quality, evidence-based Child Life Services. In recent years, it has actively promoted the development of Child Life services in different regions globally. It now has over 6,000 members from over 600 institutions worldwide.
Assessment of Accreditation Qualifications
As Child Life Specialists are not yet formally integrated into the healthcare system in Hong Kong, there are no corresponding training courses provided locally. Currently, the Child Life Specialists of the Children's Cancer Foundation refer to the Child Life Specialist courses offered by overseas universities. After employees complete online related courses and training, they undergo an internship supervised by qualified internship trainers in the team to obtain internationally recognised professional qualifications.
To be eligible for the certification exam, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Possess a bachelor's or master's degree from a recognised university.
- Complete ten specific scope-related courses, including one taught by a certified Child Life Specialist. These courses cover child growth and development, family systems, play, bereavement/grief support or death/dying, and research.
- Undertake a minimum of 600 hours of internship under the supervision of a certified Child Life Specialist.
- Successfully pass the certification examination.
Overseas Child Life
In most medical institutions overseas, Child Life Specialists are formally integrated into the healthcare system, and as a result, many universities offer degree programs and train professionals in this field. In the United States, Child Life Specialists are supervised by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). Students can major in Child Life or related fields and receive guidance and evaluation from certified Child Life Specialists recognised by the ACLP. Upon passing the certification exam, they can obtain the professional qualifications of a certified Child Life Specialist. In the United Kingdom, Child Life Specialists are supervised by the Healthcare Play Specialist Education Trust (HPSET).
Child Life Specialists in Different Regions
Click here to learn more about the Hong Kong Association of Child Life Professionals
Highlights from the Kick-off Ceremony of the Project
