New Child Life Assistant Degree

Debuted spring semester 2010

Child Life Specialist Colleen Lacey, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of MN

Child Life Specialist Colleen Lacey, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of MN

In collaboration with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, the DCTC Child Development program has developed a new Child Life Assistant 60-credit A.A.S. degree for individuals wishing to work with children in a health care setting. The brainchild of Dawn Braa, a Child Development instructor, the new degree educates students to promote healing in hospitalized children and adolescents through developmental play and other activities. Child life assistants are crucial members of interdisciplinary teams working in most pediatric facilities and many smaller pediatric inpatient units.

Graduates can go on to pursue careers as certified child life specialists by obtaining a bachelor’s degree with appropriate coursework, completing a 480-hour child life internship and passing the Child Life Council exam.

For more information, contact Dawn Braa at 651-423-8315. Or visit Dawn Braa’s Blog, which contains a wealth of child development facts and news.

Dawn Braa, DCTC Child Development Instructor

Dawn Braa, DCTC Child Development Instructor