The photo above was taken pre COVID-19 pandemic.This week is Child Life Therapy Week, where we raise awareness of the important service Child Life Therapists offer to our patients.
Child Life Therapy aims to minimise the stress and anxiety that children, young people, and their families may encounter through their healthcare journey. Child Life Therapists are experts in child development and support their patients and families by helping them understand their hospital treatment. Our Child Life Therapists work across Monash Children’s Hospital in multiple wards and departments to support patients aged from infants to adolescents.
We spoke to Paula Rogers, Senior Child Life Therapist, about her experience working as a child life therapist.
“I feel incredibly privileged to work as a Child Life Therapist where I hope to make the health journey as easy and as stress free as I can for patients and families while supporting the amazing health care work of our medical and nursing staff along with other allied health workers. We have a wonderful team of Child Life Therapy staff who are supportive of each other as the role can be challenging at times.
“Child Life Therapy is a small industry in Australia. Celebrating Child Life Therapy Week helps us to let others know about our work toward the best care of our patients and families at MCH.”
During the pandemic, our Child Life Therapist’s work didn’t stop, but their programs were altered and changed to adhere to restrictions. With the help of the Starlight Captains at Monash Children’s Hospital, they were able to provide mindfulness sessions and hospital bingo sessions via Starlight Television during the height of the pandemic.
Thank you to Paula and her team for providing important work to help ease not only their patients but their families while they are here with us at MCH.
To learn more about the Child Life Therapy team, visit the Child Life Therapy page on the Monash Children’s Hospital website.
