recertification manual

Child Life Professional Certification Maintenance and Recertification Manual

A Standing Committee of the Association of Child Life Professionals

Child Life Certifying Committee

Publication Date March 2018

Child Life Certifying Committee

Association of Child Life

Professionals

1820 Ft. Myer Drive, Suite 520

Arlington, VA 22209

Phone: 571-483-4500

Fax: 571-483-4482

E-mail: [email protected]

All of the information in this document and any updates can be found in the certification section of our Web site at www.childlife.org.


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Table of Contents

Quick Reference Section i Summary of Changes Effective January 2015 iii FAQs v Questions to consider for Activity Types (Figures 1-6) vii

The Value of the Certification Credential in Child Life Services viii

Part I: Introduction 1 Part II: Definitions 1

The Child Life Certifying Committee 1 The Certified Child Life Specialist Credential 1 Competence 2 Continuing competence 2 Exam Content Outline 2

Purpose of Recertification 2 Requirements and Expectations 2 Use of CCLS Credential and Misrepresentation of Certification 2 Revocation of Child Life Specialist Certification 3 The Certification Cycle 3 Release of Testing and Certification Information 3 Certification Statuses 4

Part III: Maintaining Certification 4 Code of Professional Practice 4 Certification Maintenance Fees 4 Reinstatement 6 FAQs 7

Part III: Recertification 8 General Information 8 Deadlines 8 Recertification Fees 8

Recertification Through Examination 9 Eligibility 9 Submitting an Application to Recertify Through Exam 9

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Recertification Through Professional Development Units (PDUs) 10 What is a PDU? 10 Dates for PDU Accrual 10 Pre-approval of PDU Activities 10 Availability of PDU Activities/Assistance Obtaining PDU Activities 11

Content Requirements 11 IMPORTANT NOTES 12

Calculation of PDUs 12 Internet-Based Activity Requirements 13 Recorded Session Requirements 13 Documentation of PDUs 13

Acceptable Activity Types 14 Traditional professional development (conferences, classes, etc.) 17

Calculating Traditional Professional Development PDUs 17 Required Documentation for Traditional Professional Development 17

Independent Learning 18 Calculating Independent Learning PDUs 18 Required Documentation for Independent Learning 18

Presenting 19 Calculating Presenting PDUs 19 Required Documentation for Presenting 19

Fieldwork supervision 20 Calculating Internship Supervision PDUs 20 Required Documentation for Internship Supervision 20

Publishing 20 Calculating Publishing PDUs 20 Required Documentation for Publishing 20

Professional service 21 Calculating Professional Service PDUs 21 Required Documentation for Professional Service 21

Random Audit 21 Appeal of Recertification and Audit Results 22 Reporting PDUs 23 Appendices

Statements of Understanding 24 Reinstatement Application 25 PDU Verification Form 26 PDU Activity Chart 27 Exam Content Outline 29 Definition of Internship Supervision Roles 30 Application to Recertify through Professional Development Units 31


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Domain

Minimum Number of PDUs Required

1. Professional Responsibility 15 PDUs

2. Assessment 20 PDUs

3. Intervention 15 PDUs

Quick Reference Section

Summary of Changes Effective January 2015 In 2011 a Recertification Task Force was estab-lished by ACLP to 1) assess the practice of child life, 2) review the policies for recer-tification and compare them to those of other professions, and 3) make recommendations that will promote the continuing com-petence of Certified Child Life Spe-cialists.

The task force conducted a bench-marking study to examine how other certifying bodies approach the objective of promoting contin-uing competence. The analysis led the task force to retain the option for CCLSs to recertify by re-taking the certification exam and to endorse more specific and rigorous require-ments for recertification through professional development. In line with these changes, the task force also recommended allowing addition-al types of activities for the accrual of the re-quired hours.

The following recommendations were approved by the ACLP Board of Directors:

1. The unit of measure for professional de-velopment has been changed from Profes-sional Development Hours (PDHs) to Profes-sional Development Units (PDUs).

It was determined that the unit of measure-ment must be updated because several new methods for accruing professional development did not fit into the traditional method of assign-ing credit. The number of PDUs that can be earned for different activity types varies. While one PDU is still earned by participating in one hour of traditional professional development, the calculation of PDUs for other activity types such as publishing are not based on clock hours. The methods for determining the number of PDU credits earned are defined in the PDU Ac-tivity Chart (Appendix III) and on page 12.

2. The number of units required over the course of the five-year certification cycle has increased from 50 to 60.

In light of the benchmarking study conducted by the task force and the expansion of the means of accruing professional develop-ment, the number of required PDUs has in-creased to 60 over the course of the five-year certification cycle. This is equivalent to one hour per month over the course of the certification cycle. 3. PDUs must be earned in each of the three domains of the Exam Content Out-line (Appendix IV).

CCLSs are required to retain, at a minimum, the level of competence required at initial certification which includes assessment in each of three professional do-mains as defined by the Practice Analysis Study. As such, CCLSs who elect to recertify through professional develop-ment are now required to participate in learning activities related to each of the three domains.

Certificants choosing the PDU option for recertification must earn a minimum of 60 PDUs within their five-year certifica-tion cycle. Of these, a minimum number must relate to each domain of the Exam Content Outline as follows: The remaining 10 PDUs may align with any of the three do-mains at the discretion of the CCLS. 4. PDUs must be earned in Professional Ethics The “Professional Ethics” subdomain (Professional Responsi-bility Domain, Task 1) is considered to be of such importance that all candidates for recertification are required to earn PDUs in this area. Of the 15 PDUs required in the Profes-

This summary is provided as an

overview; please read this entire document carefully for

important details of the revised recertification requirements.

Child Life

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umentation for each PDU activity is listed on the PDU Activi-ties Chart (Appendix III) and on pages 17-22.

The PDU Verification Form (Appendix III) is accepted as doc-umentation for many activity types and is the required doc-umentation method for others. The form must be complet-ed by the recertification candidate’s supervisor or an appro-priate representative of the organization sponsoring the activity.

Who is affected by the new requirements? The new requirements are effective as of January 1, 2015. Therefore: • All CCLSs newly certified in 2015 or later are subject to

all of the new requirements outlined in this manual. • CCLSs who recertify in 2015 or subsequent years are

subject to all of the new requirements outlined in this manual in their next certification cycle.

• “Grandfathering” - All other CCLSs are permitted to obtain PDUs through the newly-approved activity types, but will not be required to meet the new requirements until their current certification cycle expires. In other words, these CCLSs will be bound by the requirements in place at the time of the start of their certification cy-cle AND they will be permitted to count the new activity types toward recertification. Note that for this group of CCLSs only, the number of PDUs earned for college courses will be calculated based on the number of edu-cational contact hours (in-class time).

Note: former CCLSs who allowed their certification to lapse or expire and re-gain the credential after January 1, 2015 will be required to meet all of the new requirements at the

sional Responsibility Domain a minimum of 5 PDUs must be related to Task 1, Professional Ethics. 5. New activity types have been approved

The following activity types are now accepted for pro-fessional development activities:

• Traditional professional development (conference sessions, college courses, workshops, seminars)

• Independent study • Presenting • Internship supervision • Publishing • Professional service

Within these categories, different activities earn a cor-responding number of PDUs. Some of these activities have been limited to a specific number of PDUs within the five-year certification cycle to prevent applicants from acquiring a limited range of professional devel-opment.

6. A new deadline has been established

The deadline has changed from June 30 to October 31 of the year in which certification expires. No late ap-plications will be accepted.

7. New documentation requirements have been adopted

CCLSs are required to maintain records verifying their participation in each PDU submitted for recertification and may be asked to provide these documents to the Child Life Certifying Committee (CLCC). Each of the defined PDU activity types has at least one acceptable form of documentation. The appropriate form of doc-

Date Certified or Recertified

Due Date for Recertification through PDUs

Number of PDUs

Required

Domain

Requirements

New Activity Types

Allowed

New Deadline Applies

2010 October 31, 2015

50 No Yes Yes

2011 October 31, 2016

2012 October 31, 2017

2013 October 31, 2018

2014 October 31, 2019

2015 October 31, 2020 60 Yes Yes Yes

Quick Reference Section (Continued)


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Pre-approval of PDU Activities All professional development sessions offered by CLC (webinars and annual conference educational sessions) are pre-approved unless otherwise noted.

Please read this manual in its entirety for infor-mation on the suitability of learning opportunities.

Availability of PDU Activities/Assistance Ob-taining PDU Activities The Recertification Task Force was also charged with investi-gating ways to assist CCLSs in obtaining the required profes-sional development. It is believed that the increased number of acceptable activity types will help relieve some of the diffi-culties that certain populations experience when searching for development activities.

Do the new requirements apply to me? If you are certified in 2015 or later, all of the new re-quirements apply to you. If you were certified or recertified in 2014 or earlier, with the exception of the new application deadline the new requirements will not apply to you until your next certification cycle. You may, however, use the new activity types to earn PDUs.

Why are the rules changing? The requirements are changing to bring them in line with industry standards and to promote continuing competence in those who recertify.

What is a PDU? What happened to PDHs? Professional development units (PDUs) are the new measurement of continuting education. Because of the new activity types adopted, the unit of measure for professional development had to change. Not all professional development will be accrued in terms of hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the PDHs I’ve accrued count toward PDUs?

Yes, PDHs which are counted based on clock hours will translate 1-for-1 to PDUs. In other words, 1 PDH = 1 PDU.

How will I know if [a session] will be ac-cepted? All professional development sessions offered by ACLP (webinars and annual conference educational sessions) are pre-approved unless otherwise noted.

Please read this manual in its entirety for information on the suitability of learning opportunities.

Why might my application not be accept-ed? Eligibility for recertification may not be established if: • Applicant fails to meet deadlines • Application form is incomplete or illegible • Appropriate supporting documentation is not sub-

mitted, if requested



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• Submitted materials do not show that the candidate meets the minimum requirements

• Correct fees are not received • Verification documents do not give complete

information • There is evidence of tampering with docu-

mentation • Recommended by the Ethics Committee

What happens if my application is not accepted? Candidates whose applications do not meet the minimum requirement will be notified by mail and will be issued a refund for the recertification fee, minus a $25 processing fee.

Am I required to earn PDUs in each of the exam content outline do-main? If you are certified in 2015 or later, all of the new requirements apply to you. You must accrue PDUs from each of the three domains as detailed on page 11. If you were certified or recertified in 2014 or earlier, you are not required to accrue PDUs in each domain until your next certification cycle. For your current cycle only, there are no domain-specific requirements.

For the professional responsibility domain, can I get all the 15 re-quired from ethics or am I re-quired to get at least 10 from the non-ethics areas of Domain 1? You may earn all 15 PDUs for the professional re-sponsibility domain in task 1, professional ethics if you choose.

Since PDUs for academic coursework will be verified by a college/university transcript, does this need to be an offi-cial transcript issued by the registrar's office? An official transcript is not required for this purpose.

For Presenting or co-presenting a pro-fessional in-service training, instruc-tion, or guest lecture, what is an "attendance record? A sign-in sheet is acceptable documentation for this type of presentation

The new activity types allow CCLSs to earn PDUs for supervising students, but does not allow Internship Coordina-tors to obtain PDUs this way. What if the Internship Coordinator is ALSO di-rectly supervising a student?”

If a CCLS is acting in both capacities, the hours spent in direct supervision can be counted for PDUs. The re-maining hours spent coordinating the internship may not.

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The Value of the Certification Credential in Child Life Services

A Position Statement of the Child Life Council, Inc.

The Child Life Profession The profession of child life exists to promote optimal development of infants, children, youth and family members and to minimize psychological trauma in children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly related to health care and hospitaliza-tion. The American Academy of Pediatrics affirms that child life is “an essential component of quality pediatric health care,” and as such, child life services have become a standard in most pediatric hospital settings. (American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Hospital Care. (2006) Child life services. Pediatrics, 106, 1156-1159)

Professionals in child life have expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events. Using play and psychological preparation as primary tools, child life interventions facilitate coping and adjustment at times and under circum-stances that might otherwise prove overwhelming to children and families. The primary roles of a child life professional include:

1. Enhance the adjustment of children and families to health care experiences and other difficult life encounters using play and a variety of therapeutic techniques.

2. Prepare children both cognitively and emotionally for medical and other demanding life events in language they can understand and in a manner which helps to alleviate anxiety and stress.

3. Teach coping skills, including distraction techniques and relaxation exercises, to reduce the potential for negative reactions to health care experiences and other life distresses.

4. Assess, monitor and enhance developmental skills across the life continuum, especially for children and youth who are exposed to situations which put them at risk for developmental interruption, such as hospitalization and chronic illness.

Through the provision of these services, child life improves the health care experience for pediatric patients and their families, re-duces stress and uncertainty, and helps create an environment in which medical services can be delivered more smoothly and effi-ciently.

Standards of Practice for Child Life The primary professional association for child life is the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). ACLP is an international organi-zation that represents the profession of child life, and has an established mission, values, standards of clinical practice and a code of ethics for the profession. The standards of clinical practice include:

• Promote psychosocial care at the highest professional level

• Define the function of child life services

• Establish professional expectations for the administration and implementation of child life services

• Provide guidance for organizations and individuals in developing child life programs and services

Credentialing of Child Life Specialists Professional expertise and skills in the practice of child life are achieved through a certification process overseen by the Association of Child Life Professionals. This process involves confirmation of educational qualifications, clinical internship training, work experi-ence and the successful completion of an evidence-based written examination specifically developed to assess the readiness of an individual to enter the profession of child life. The Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) is achieved upon successful completion of these activities. Certified Child Life Specialists are required to undertake continuing professional development activities to maintain their CCLS credential.

Employing Certified Child Life Specialists As the profession of child life has become more defined and specialized, and as the responsibilities of the practitioners have become more demanding, it is increasingly important for those practicing child life to attain an acceptable level of both knowledge and clini-cal training. The Child Life Council believes that the education and training of those who achieve the credential of Certified Child Life Specialist provides the practitioner with the knowledge and skill sets to practice child life at a professional level. Those individuals who attain Certified Child Life Specialist status are able to provide accurate assessments, interventions and evaluations of children and families. The provision of child life services by Certified Child Life Specialists is a quality benchmark of an integrated child health delivery system and an indicator of excellence in pediatric care. Ultimately the only method for assuring both employers and pa-tients/families that the highest standards of practice in child life will be addressed is the utilization of Certified Child Life Specialists. To ensure quality child life service provision, it is the position of the Association of Child Life Professionals that child life services should be provided by Certified Child Life Specialists.

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The Child Life Certifying Committee The Child Life Certifying Committee (CLCC), a standing com-mittee of the Association of Child Life Professionals, com-prised of Certified Child Life Specialists, oversees the child life professional credentialing program. Committee leaders are elected by members of the Association of Child Life Pro-fessionals. The CLCC seeks to serve as a voice for stakehold-ers who have an interest in maintaining high standards in child life. The mission of the Child Life Certifying Committee is to: • Maintain a quality certification program for the child life

profession • Review and recommend updates to policies • Work with ACLP staff and the professional testing agency

to oversee the certification process • Develop and revise the certification examination through

Practice Analysis studies and the management of item development and exam assembly work groups

The Certified Child Life Specialist Credential Child life certification is the process by which the CLCC grants a time-limited recognition and use of the Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential, after verifying that an individual has met predetermined and standardized criteria.

The child life certification program is administered by the CLCC, a professional testing agency, and ACLP staff. The program advances uniform standards of practice and ethical conduct among child life special-ists. In addition, child life certification aims to shield the general public from untrained individuals entering into an inappropriate relationship with children and families. To achieve the CCLS credential, each candidate must satisfy all the educational and experiential require-ments established by the CLCC, and must demonstrate an acceptable level of knowledge of child life theory and practice by successfully completing the Child Life Professional Certification Examination. The eligibility requirements for the exam are applied fairly, impar-tially, and consistently within applicable laws, includ-ing all U.S. government nondiscriminatory statutes and laws. “CCLS” is a registered certification mark. This designa-tion and the title “Certified Child Life Specialist” may only legally be used by those who have active certifica-

Part I: Introduction

Part II: Definitions

This manual is published by the Child Life Certifying Com-mittee and outlines the steps required to maintain Child Life Professional Certification as well as the process to recertify at the end of the five-year certification cycle.

It contains the following:

• Quick Reference Section

• CLC Position Paper: The Value of the Certification Creden-

tial in Child Life Services

• Part I: Introduction

• Part II: Definitions

• Part III: Maintaining Certification

A. Certification Maintenance Fees

B. Reinstatement

C. FAQs

• Part IV: Recertification

A. Recertification Through Exam B. Recertification Through PDUs 1) Important Notes 2) Activity Types 3) Reporting PDUs 4) Random Audit 5) FAQs

• Appendix I: Background Questions/Statements of

Understanding

• Appendix II: Reinstatement Application

• Appendix III: PDU Verification Form

• Appendix IV: Exam Content Outline

• Appendix V: Definitions of Internship Supervision

Roles

• Appendix Vi: Recertification Application

tion conferred by the CLCC. Certification is granted independently of a candidate’s membership in Association of Child Life Professionals. Competence Competence is defined as the possession of required knowledge and skill or the capacity to perform. At initial certification, individuals are required to demon-strate mastery of concepts relevant to the minimum re-sponsibilities of an entry-level child life specialist and to exhibit the capability to apply these to clinical practice. This basic knowledge and the associated skills needed for its application are defined through periodic Practice Anal-ysis Studies, and are assessed through the certification eligibility requirements and the Child Life Professional Certification Examination.

Continuing competence Continuing competence is the ongoing process of gaining and maintaining aptitude. For the Child Life Professional Certification Program, this is interpreted to mean that individuals who seek to retain the credential must, at a minimum, maintain the level of competence exhibited at the point of initial certification or be committed to aug-menting competence through professional development activities.

Exam Content Outline The Examination Classification System delineates the per-formance domains and tasks involved in current child life practice as well as the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform them. These are identi-fied through Practice Analysis Studies every five to seven years. The Exam Content Outline (Appendix IV) is a subset of the Exam Classification System that includes the do-mains and tasks for the profession and is the blueprint used to develop the Child Life Professional Certification Exam.

The level of certification assessed by the certification ex-am has been defined as minimally-competent, entry-level proficiency. Having successfully completed the Child Life Professional Certification Examination, Certified Child Life Specialists can be expected to possess the capacity to perform the elements defined in the Exam Content Out-line.

Purpose of Recertification The purpose of the recertification process is to promote

the continuing competence of CCLS credential holders as the performance of both newly credentialed and sea-soned CCLSs reflects on the meaning and credibility of the credential. Recertification is used to preserve the value of the credential over time.

All CCLSs must recertify every five years. In order to do so, CCLSs must demonstrate retention of the level of competence required at initial certification either by 1) retaking the certification exam, or 2) taking action to enhance competence through ongoing learning, becom-ing familiar with evolving practices in the field, and cus-tomizing competence relevant to the practice setting and population served.

Certification Requirements and Expectations CCLSs are required, at a minimum, to retain the level of competence required at initial certification, pay certifica-tion maintenance fees, and conform to the CLCC’s Code of Professional Practice including the Code of Ethical Re-sponsibility. Maintenance fees and the Code of Profes-sional Practice are discussed in Part II of this document.

CCLSs are further expected to:

• Enhance competence through ongoing learning, pur-suing high-quality sources of continuing education and engaging in professional development activities

• Build specialized competence relevant to practice setting and population served

• Keep current with emerging practices in the field

Use of CCLS Credential and Misrepresentation of Certification While certified, child life specialists are permitted to use the initials “CCLS” after their names and the title “Certified Child Life Specialist.” CCLS is a registered certi-fication mark. It is not punctuated with periods. The title Certified Child Life Specialist is always printed in initial capital letters.

The “CCLS” designation and the title “Certified Child Life Specialist” may only be legally used by those who have active certification. Individuals who have not passed the certification exam or who have inactive, lapsed, or ex-pired certification are not permitted to use the credential. Professional misrepresentation (using the credential without being duly certified) is a serious offense with ac-companying legal ramifications. Abuse of the credential will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and indi-viduals found to misuse the credential will not be per-

mitted to apply for child life certification for a minimum of 3 years. Revocation of Child Life Specialist Certification Child life certification may be revoked for any reason the CLCC deems appropriate, including but not limited to the following:

• Violation of the Association of Child Life Professionals Code of Ethical Responsibility

• Conviction of a felony or other crime of moral turpi-tude relating to the provision of child life services

• Falsification of any information provided to the CLCC • Cheating on the examination • Failure to maintain the confidentiality of the certifica-

tion examination • Failure to pay certification fees; it is the CCLS’s re-

sponsibility to pay maintenance fees in a timely man-ner regardless of the receipt of any notifications or reminders from ACLP

• Failure to successfully recertify during the fifth year of the certification cycle

The Certification Cycle Certification begins on the day an individual passes the certification exam. Certification will expire at the end of the calendar year in which the five-year certification anni-versary falls, provided:

• All required fees are paid in a timely manner. Certifi-cants are required to pay certification maintenance fees on or before January 31 of each of the first four years of the certification cycle. In the fifth year, there is no maintenance fee; however, certificants must recertify in order to keep the CCLS credential.

• Answers to the background questions and agreement with the Statements of Understanding is provided as requested by CLCC. CCLSs are required to attest their understanding of the following statements each year of the certification cycle:

I understand that if requested from the general public, CLCC will confirm my certification status (active, inactive, lapsed, expired), effective/expiration dates, and identification number.

I understand that CLCC reserves the right to verify any information I have provided.

I understand that documents submitted to ACLP become the property of ACLP and will not be re-turned.

I understand that aggregate data will be used for statistical study and review of the certification pro-

cess. I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the

Code of Professional Practice. I have read and agree to abide by the ethical, secu-

rity, confidentiality, and other policies printed in the Candidate and Recertification Manuals.

I have read and understand the conditions under which my certification can be revoked.

I acknowledge that I will receive certification-related emails and may not opt out.

• CCLSs must recertify in the fifth year of the certifica-tion cycle either by retaking the certification exam or through professional development.

Release of Testing and Certification Information The exam is a “criterion-referenced” exam which means that CLCC has identified the passing score, establishing the exact point required to meet the minimum standard set. Candidates either meet the criteria or they do not

Though the numerical score may be of interest to those who passed the exam, it does not provide a standard for ranking individual performance. As a result, CLCC does not release numerical scores above the cut score. This is common practice in the credentialing industry and was recommended by our partnering test administration agency.

ACLP staff will verify certification status (active, inactive, lapsed, expired), certification issue date, expiration date, and identification number to members of the public as requested via the online CCLS directory.

To protect examinees’ privacy, no individual exam results or institution-specific results will be made available. Only the following aggregate data will be available to ACLP membership and the general public:

• Group performance data, including number of candi-dates, number passing, percent passing, and mean score for each exam administration

• Aggregate testing data, including performance on

Certification will expire at the end of the calendar year in which the

five-year certification anniversary falls unless the CCLS suc-cessfully recertifies in the fifth year.

Certification Maintenance Fees CCLSs are required to pay Certification Maintenance Fees to support the administra-tion of the certification program and to main-tain their individual certification. Certification Maintenance fees are essential to the opera-tion of the Child Life Professional Certification Program. They provide the financial resources needed for the program’s operation. Certifica-tion Maintenance Fees are due on or before January 31 of each of the first four years of each five-year certification cycle.

CCLSs are permitted to pay certification maintenance fees with an additional late fee

Code of Professional Practice The Code of Professional Practice addresses ethical dilemmas, behavior that reflects on the child life profes-sion, and conduct that may put the general public at risk. All CCLSs are required to provide confirmation of their consent to abide by the code by signing—manually or digitally—the Statements of Understanding (Appendix I) annually. This is done at the time of application for the certifi-cation exam, the payment of certifi-cation maintenance fees, and appli-cation for recertification through pro-fessional development.

Part III: Maintaining Certification

Certified

Active: an individual with an active certification status has passed the certification exam, paid all required fees, and recertified (if applicable). Only individuals with this status may use the credential.

Not certified

Inactive: an individual with an inactive certification status has a certification maintenance fee overdue. This is a tem-porary status.

Certification maintenance fees are due by January 31 of each of the first four years of the certification cycle. After Jan-uary 31, CCLSs are allowed a 60-day grace period to pay maintenance fees plus a late fee. If the proper payment is not received by April 1, the certification maintenance fee is delinquent and the status changes to inactive.

An individual with an inactive status may apply for reinstatement of the credential on or before December 31 of the year in which the payment was due. If the payment is not received by the end of the year, the certification status changes to lapsed.

Lapsed: a lapsed certification status is given to an individual who has not paid a required certification maintenance fee. The only way in which an individual with a lapsed status can regain the credential is by re-establishing eligibility for the certification exam under the current requirements, taking and passing the certification exam.

Expired: an expired certification status is given to an individual who did not recertify in the fifth year of the certification cycle. The only way in which an individual with a expired status can regain the credential is by re-establishing eligibility for the certification exam under the current requirements, taking and passing the certification exam.

Certification Statuses

Page 4

Individuals who are pursuing the credential are divided into two categories:

Applicant – an individual who has applied for an Eligibility Assessment but has not yet established his/her eligibility for the certification exam.

Candidate – an individual who has established his/her eligibility for the certification exam, but has not yet success-fully completed the certification exam.

It is imperative that each CCLS

maintain an active,

regularly-checked email address

on their Online ACLP user profile.

http://www.childlife.org/certification/students

http://www.childlife.org/certification/students/review-my-courses

FIG

UR

E 7

practice of child life, 2) continual assessment of CLCC poli-cies in relation to credentialing industry best practices, 3) implementation of ACLP leadership decisions, and 4) communications with various stakeholders including: • Educating the public about the certification

program • Verification of certification status for employers • Reports to the ACLP Board of Directors • Publication of changes to policy • Website development and maintenance • CCLS Connection newsletter Much of this work is done behind the scenes, invisible to those who hold the credential, but essential to the ongo-ing process and progression of certification.

Reinstatement

If a CCLS fails to make a maintenance payment by April 1, his or her status will change to “inactive.” Individuals with this status will not be listed in the online CCLS direc-tory and are not permitted to use the CCLS credential. Through the reinstatement process, inactive certification status can be returned to “active” status within the calen-dar year of the delinquent payment. An application for reinstatement must be submitted along with the mainte-nance fee, late fee, and a reinstatement fee in order for the credential to be reinstated. If the credential is not reinstated by the end of the calendar year in which the maintenance payment was due, certification is said to have lapsed. If an individual with a “lapsed” status wish-es to regain the credential, he/she must re-establish eligi-bility for the exam under the then-current requirements and successfully retake the certification exam. The rein-statement application can be found in Appendix II.

during a 60-day grace period (February 1 – March 31).

No maintenance fee is due during the final year of the cycle; however, CCLSs must recertify in the fifth year in order to retain the credential. See Figure 7.

To allow CCLSs to anticipate their financial obligations, the deadline for certification maintenance payments does not change from year to year. Ultimately it is the responsibility of all CCLSs to pay their fees and recertify as required. However, ACLP will send email reminders regarding certification maintenance in December and January. ACLP uses email as the primary means of con-tact. It is imperative that each CCLS maintain an ac-tive, regularly-checked email address on their ACLP user profile especially if he/she is relying on ACLP’s reminders of payments due.

The established deadline for certification maintenance payments is January 31 of each of the first four years of each five-year certification cycle. ACLPs automated system begins charging a late fee for all payments re-ceived after that date. Late fees will not be waived based on notification failure.

Maintenance fees are frequently confused with Associ-ation of Child Life Professionals membership dues. Child Life Professional Certification and ACLP member-ship are completely separate programs, each with dis-tinct fees and associated benefits. ACLP members re-ceive many benefits, including reduced rates on most certification fees; however, membership is not required for certification of child life specialists.

Where does my money go? CCLSs are required to pay maintenance fees in order to sustain the Child Life Professional Certification Program from which they benefit. The CCLS credential is valua-ble, providing a professional advantage available only to those who meet the set standard and support the program through the payment of fees. Employers often require the credential for employment with the under-standing that credential holders have set themselves apart from non-credentialed practitioners.

Maintenance fees support both the general administra-tion of the credentialing program including staffing and office costs as well as 1) developmental expenses such as Practice Analysis Studies that monitor change to the

Certification Maintenance Fees* ACLP Members $45 Non-Members $65 Late fee $30 Reinstatement fee $55 *As of publication date; fees are subject to change.

Certification Maintenance FAQs

What are Certification Maintenance Fees? CCLSs pay Certification Maintenance Fees to sup-port the administration of the certification program and to maintain individual certification.

When are Certification Maintenance Fees due? Certification Maintenance fees are due by January 31 each of the first four years of the five-year certifi-cation cycle. Your first payment is due January 31 of the year immediately following the day you passed the certification exam. For example, if you passed the exam in March, August, or Novem-ber 2014, your first maintenance payment would be due on or before January 31, 2015. You would also have a payment due by January 31 of 2016, 2017, and 2018. In 2019, you would not pay a mainte-nance fee; however, you would need to recertify and pay the recertification fee in that year.

What am I paying for? Where does my money go? Maintenance fees fund the general administration of the certification program, which includes activi-ties such as: practice analyses, accurate record keeping, and communication about certification. The examination fee covers the separate costs of administering the exam, such as exam development and testing agency fees.

How will I be notified when my payment is due? Ultimately it is the responsibility of all Certified Child Life Specialists to pay the maintenance fees every January for the first four years of their certifi-cation cycle. However, CLCC will send email re-minders regarding certification maintenance in De-cember and January. Therefore it is essential that you keep your ACLP user profile up-to-date with an active email address that you check regularly.

Important Notes Regarding Certification Maintenance:

1. Annual ACLP membership renewal fees are NOT the same as certification maintenance fees. Certification and ACLP membership are entirely separate programs, each with its own fees and associated benefits.

2. Although ACLP will send invoices for maintenance fees, it is ultimately the responsibility of the CCLS to make the appropriate payments on time and to keep the ACLP office informed of any changes in contact information.

3. In the last year of each five-year certification cycle, CCLSs are not required to submit a maintenance fee pay-ment, but will be required to submit the appropriate recertification fee instead.

4. Certification fees are subject to change. Please visit www.childlife.org/certification for current fee information.

What if my payment is late? A $30 late fee is applied to payments that are received after January 31. Late payments will be accepted through March 31, after which certifica-tion will become inactive due to non-payment. Individuals who have an inactive certification status are not permitted to refer to themselves as a Certified Child Life Specialist or use the initials “CCLS” after their name. These individuals must apply for reinstatement of the credential by De-cember 31 of the year in which the payment was due. If certification is not reinstated via payment of proper fees by the end of that calendar year, certification will lapse.

What happens if I don’t pay Certification Maintenance Fees? If Certification Maintenance Fees are not paid in a timely fashion, certifi-cation will lapse. If certification lapses due to non-payment of mainte-nance fees, an individual will no longer be permitted to refer to him/herself as a Certified Child Life Specialist or use the initials “CCLS” after his/her name. To re-gain the credential, individuals with lapsed certifica-tion must re-establish eligibility for the certification exam, and success-fully complete it.

I just paid my dues; why do I have to pay again? If you recently made a payment to ACLP it is likely that it was for mem-bership in ACLP. Certification maintenance fees are due once a year (January) for the first four years of the certification cycle. ACLP member-ship dues are paid annually for membership in ACLP. Certification maintenance fees are separate from Association of Child Life Profes-sionals membership dues.

Don’t my ACLP membership dues cover my certification, too? Child Life Professional Certification and Association of Child Life Profes-sionals membership are completely separate programs, each with dis-tinct fees and associated benefits. Certified Child Life Specialists are not required to be members of the Association of Child Life Professionals, just as certification is not a requirement for ACLP membership. Associa-tion of Child Life Professionals members receive many benefits, including reduced rates on all Child Life Professional Certification Program fees.

http://beta.childlife.org/certification

General Information The five-year recertification requirement is based on a

commonly accepted, occupational standard time frame. It

encourages CCLSs to remain current in the knowledge,

skills, and abilities necessary for continuing competence in

the field with the goal of protection of the general public

from unskilled individuals entering into an inappropriate

relationship with children and families.

Certificants may recertify by re-examination or by obtaining 60

Professional Development Units (PDUs).

Certificants must complete the recertification process prior to

their expiration date. See below for deadline information.

Recertification through Examination: ACLP Members: $ 300 Non-Members: $ 450

Recertification through Exam CCLSs with an active status who elect to recertify through examination are bound by the examination deadlines, fees, and other policies in place at that time. Below are the testing dates and corresponding deadlines in place as of the publication date. Deadlines are subject to change. Recertification through PDUs To allow adequate processing time, applications to recertify through PDUs must be received by the ACLP office on or before October 31st of the expiration year.

Late Submissions Due to the extension of the deadline to October 31 (previously June 30), late submis-sions are no longer accepted

Part IV: Recertification

Application Deadline Computer-Based Testing Window

January 31 March 15 - 30

June 30 August 15 - 30

September 20 November 1 - 15

Although ACLP will send reminders in January of the

year recertification is due, it is ultimately the responsi-

bility of the CCLS to submit the application to recertify

in a timely manner.

Recertification applications may only be submitted

during the final year of the certification cycle and must be

received on or before October 31 of that year.

Recertification through Professional Development Units: ACLP Members: $ 115 Non-Members: $ 215

Deadlines

Recertification Fees*

*As of publication date; fees are subject to change.

The NEW deadline to recertify through

PDUs is October 31st

The Child Life Professional Certification Examination is

content- and psychometrically-valid and a reliable

measure of minimum, entry-level competence. The

Child Life Professional Certification Exam is the means

by which initial certification is granted and may also

be used by CCLSs to demonstrate continuing compe-

tence. Each item in the examination item bank is di-

rectly related to one of the tasks outlined on the Exam

Content Outline (Appendix IV).

Eligibility Individuals who have an active certification status and

are applying to recertify by examination are not re-

quired to establish eligibility for the exam. However,

CCLSs recertifying by examination are still bound by all

other certification examination policies and proce-

dures in place at that time and should read and fully

understand the content of the current Candidate

Manual, which is available on the ACLP Web site.

Please note: Individuals who were previously certi-

fied and allowed certification to lapse or expire must

re-establish eligibility for the exam under the then-

current requirements and successfully complete the

certification exam in order to re-gain the credential.

Submitting an Application to Recertify Through Examination Candidates are encouraged to use the certification portal on the ACLP website to register for the exam as follows:

1. Login to your profile

2. Click on the “View Event Registrations” button

3. Select the appropriate exam administration and click on “Register”

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to edit your identification information

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter any requests for special testing accommodations. If

Recertification Through Examination

you are not requesting any, you may skip this step. If you are requesting accommodations, please upload a file documenting the need for the modification.

6. Click “Continue.”

7. Confirm your registration information and click on “continue.”

8. Confirm your ID information and click on “Complete Registration.”

9. Select payment type and complete the required infor-mation

10. Click on “Submit Payment.”

To Pay by Check/Submit a Paper Exam Application

The exam application can be found in the final pages of the

Candidate Manual. Complete the application as indicated

and scan/email it to [email protected], fax it to 301-

881-7092, or mail it to:

Certification Association of Child Life Professionals

1820 N Fort Myer Dr, Suite 520 Arlington, VA 22209

What happens if I don’t pass the exam? Applicants for recertification through examination who do

not pass the exam are permitted to submit an application to

recertify through PDUs within the final year of the certifica-

tion cycle. Such applications must follow all of the policies

outlined previously including deadlines for application. If,

however, recertification is not achieved through either

method prior to the end of the cycle, the individual’s certifi-

cation will expire at the end of the year. If certification ex-

pires, the individual will be required to start the certification

process anew by re-establishing eligibility under the then-

current requirements and successfully completing the ex-

amination.

https://www.childlife.org/docs/default-source/certification/candidate-manual.pdf



Recertification Through Professional Development Units (PDUs)

What is a PDU? Several of the newly-accepted professional develop-ment activities do not fit into the formula previously used to calculate credits. Formerly, one clock hour equaled one Professional Development Hour (PDH). While most traditional methods of accruing PDUs are still calculated based on this formula, a new method for calculating credit for professional devel-opment has become necessary. The new standard unit of measure for professional development is a Professional Development Unit (PDU).

A PDU is a unit of measure for tracking professional development activities. It is used as an expression of a variety of both clock-based and non-clock-based learning activities in terms of a common unit of measure.

In order for a professional development activity to qualify as a PDU, the content must relate to one of the three established domains from the Exam Con-tent Outline (Appendix IV).

An explanation of how PDU credits are determined for each of the acceptable activity types is included in this document. This information is also found in the PDU Activity Chart (Appendix III) which specifies the number of PDUs earned for the various types of professional development and in Figures 1-6 in the Quick Reference Section of this document.

Certificants may accrue their Professional Development Units (PDUs) along the following timelines:

In the initial certification cycle, from the examination date through October 31 of the year certification expires

In subsequent certification cycles,

from November 1 of the year recertification took place through October 31 of the year the subsequent certification cycle expires

Dates for PDU Accrual Certificants may begin to accrue PDUs immediately after they have successfully completed the Child Life Professional Certifi-cation Examination. CCLSs who recertify through PDUs may begin accruing PDUs for their next certification cycle on No-vember 1 of the year in which they recertify.

PDUs may NOT be carried over from one certification cycle to the next. An activity that commences in one certification cycle and concludes in the next may only be used for credit in the cycle in which the activity is completed.

Any PDUs accrued before October 31st will be applied toward the current recertification regardless of whether the applicant has already submitted their application for recertification through PDUs.

Pre-Approval of PDU Activities All professional development sessions offered by ACLP (webinars and annual conference educational sessions) are pre-approved unless otherwise noted. All other learning activ-ities will be reviewed for applicability at the time of recertifica-tion application review. Please read this manual in its entirety carefully for information on the suitability of learning opportunities.

Content Requirements For all professional development activity types, to qualify as a PDU, the content must relate to one of the three pro-fessional domains from the Exam Content Outline (Appendix IV): 1) professional responsibility, 2) Assess-ment, and 3) Intervention. Recertification through PDUs provides CCLSs the oppor-tunity to choose continuing education and training spe-cific to their individual professional needs. Certificants choosing the PDU option for recertification must earn a minimum of 60 PDUs within their five-year certification cycle. Of these, a specific number must re-late to each domain of the Exam Content Outline (Appendix IV) as follows:

• A minimum of 15 of the 60 required PDUs must fall

within the Professional Responsibility domain; of these, a minimum of 5 must be related to profes-sional ethics (Domain I, Task 1: Maintain profes-sional standards of practice through adherence to established ethical guidelines in order to provide respectful and competent care).

• A minimum of 20 of the 60 required PDUs must fall

within the Assessment domain

• A minimum of 15 of the 60 required PDUs must fall within the Intervention domain

• The remaining 10 PDUs may align with any of the three domains at the discretion of the CCLS.

Recertification by Professional Development Units (PDUs)

Certificants choosing the PDU option for recertification must earn a minimum of 60 PDUs within their five-year certification cycle.

Of these, a specific number must relate to each domain of the Exam Content Outline as follows:

The remaining 10 PDUs may align with any of the three domains at the discretion of the CCLS.

Exam Content Outline Domain Requirements

Performance Domain Professional Responsibility

(Total of 15 PDUs required) Assessment

(Any Task)

Intervention

(Any Task) Task (Sub-domain) Task 1 Professional Ethics Any Task

Required Number of PDUs 5 10 20 15

Calculation of PDUs Several of the new types of acceptable professional development activities do not fit into the formula used previous-ly to calculate credits. Formerly, one educational contact hour equaled one Professional Develop-ment Hour (PDH). While most traditional methods of accruing PDUs are still calculated based on this formula, a new method for calculating credit for professional development has become nec-essary. The new standard unit of measure for professional development is a Professional Devel-opment Unit (PDU).

An explanation of how credit is determined for each of the acceptable activity types may be found on the following pages. This information is also found in Figures 1-6 and the PDU Activity Chart (Appendix IV) which specifies the number of PDUs earned for various types of undertak-ings. All PDUs must be recorded in increments of at least 30 minutes or .5 PDU. Units must be rounded DOWN to the next .5 PDU increment. CCLSs cannot earn PDUs from sessions that are less than 30 minutes in duration.

Examples Session Duration (in Minutes)

Number of PDUs Earned

Session Duration (in Minutes)

Number of PDUs Earned

15 –29 = 0.0 90-119 = 1.5

30—59 = 0.5 120-149 = 2.0

60-89 = 1.0 150-179 = 2.5

IMPORTANT NOTES

Professional

development

cannot be

earned in

units smaller

than 0.5 PDU.

Formulas for Calculating PDUs Traditional professional development 1 educational contact hour = 1 PDU

College/University Classes 1 credit hour = 3 PDUs

Independent Study Successful completion of 1 quiz/test = 1 PDU

Presenting or co-presenting a professional workshop, seminar, or session at a state, national, or international conference

1 hour presentation = 2 PDU

Presenting – Poster Session 1 poster = 2 PDU

Presenting – Staffed Poster Session 1 hour presentation = 1 PDU

Presenting or co-presenting for local organization, association, or group on practice area-related topic


Internship supervision 80 hours of supervision for child life intern = 2 PDUs

Publishing 1 article, chapter, or book = 3 PDUs

Professional service - Completion of a research project/study on a child life-related topic = 2 PDUs

1 research project/study = 2 PDUs

Professional service - Serving on board of directors, committee or task force (for ACLP or other related to the psychosocial care of children in a health care environment)

1 year = 1PDU

Below is a summary of the various formulas used to calculated PDUs based on activity type. Please be sure to read pages 17-22 carefully for additional information.

IMPORTANT NOTES (Continued) …

Internet-Based Activity Requirements

Many online sessions will be accepted, provided they meet the requirements defined within this document. Only

online courses with an interactive component (with an instructor and/or other participants) are allowed.* In an

online training situation, the Certifying Committee expects the CCLS to have the opportunity to communicate with the

instructor or other participants such as during a webinar.

The “interactive component” does not include asynchronous activities such as posting to discussion boards and emails

to and from the instructor. It includes synchronous activities such as web-based conferences/webinars, teleconfer-

ences, and live instant message discussions.

Time spent doing assignments for online courses does not count towards PDUs.

CCLSs are required to keep detailed records of the time spent online for the course. If online at a particular time of

day for the course, please track those times. If not please provide a daily estimate and any other information about

the time spent completing the session .

*Internet-based activities that do not include an interactive element MUST have a standardized, post-completion

assessment (quiz/test) to be eligible for PDUs.

Recorded Session Requirements

Recorded sessions will be accepted for PDU credit provided 1) they meet the requirements defined in this document,

and 2) a standardized learning assessment (quiz/test) is successfully completed. Recorded sessions without an assess-

ment will not be accepted.

Online offerings must include an appropriate end-of-course assessment. Generally, this means a post-completion

written or digital test or quiz. Similarly, an observable demonstration of learning that could include a written product

or other documentable product would be acceptable.

A quiz on the presented materials helps determine if the participant has met the course objectives and the effective-

ness of participation and whether additional study is needed.

Documentation of PDUs CCLSs may be asked to provide evidence of participation in all PDU sessions submitted and should therefore keep sup-

porting documentation for all reported PDUs. Promotional materials and records of registration DO NOT verify attend-

ance and WILL NOT be accepted.

It is highly recommended that CCLSs maintain a file of documentation throughout their five-year certification cycle in

the event that their application is selected for audit.

In some cases, documents may need to be accessed online and printed. Since organizations may not make these avail-

able indefinitely and they may not be accessible at the time of recertification, it is strongly recommended that docu-

ments are printed at the time of completion and kept in the applicant’s personal PDU file.

The following activity types, discussed in greater detail

on the following pages, are accepted for professional

development activities for recertification:

1. Traditional professional development

(conferences, classes, webinars, etc.)

2. Independent Study

3. Presenting

4. Internship supervision

5. Fieldwork Supervision

6. Publishing

7. Professional service

Within these categories, different activities earn a cor-

responding number of PDUs and documentation re-

quirements vary. Some of these activities have been

limited to a specific number of attainable PDUs within

the five-year certification cycle to prevent applicants

from acquiring a limited range of professional develop-

ment. For these details, please see the following pag-

es and refer to Figures 1-6 and the PDU Activity Chart,

Appendix. III.

The following are NOT accepted as professional develop-

ment activities for recertification:

• Sessions without a clear relationship to the Exam

Content Outline (Appendix IV)

• Patient care activities and other employment duties

• Non-credit/audited academic classes

• Mission/service trips

• Networking sessions

• Meetings

• Facility/hospital tours

• Internships

• Fellowships

• Mandatory in-services or training activities including,

but not limited to orientation programs and sessions

on workplace safety, harassment, first aid, infection

control, and other general human resources topics

• Session time devoted to organizational business, en-

tertainment, or social activities including beverage or

meal breaks

• Travel time

PDU activities without the required supporting documentation will NOT be credited.

If your application is selected for random audit, you will be required to submit documentation at that time. Please do not send your supporting documentation unless it is specifically requested by the CLCC.

Each of the defined PDU activity types has at least one acceptable form of documentation. The preferred type of documentation for each PDU activity is listed on the PDU Activities Chart (Appendix III). Additional kinds of verifica-tion for each of the activity types may be accepted; please see pages 17-22 for further information for each PDU activity type.

The PDU Verification Form (Appendix III) is to be used for specific types of activities. The form should be complet-ed by the recertification candidate’s supervisor or an appropriate representative of the organization sponsoring the activity.

IMPORTANT NOTES (Continued) …

ACCEPTABLE ACTIVITY TYPES

Traditional Professional Development Independent Learning

• College/university classes taken for credit with a passing grade

• Certificate program courses • Professional programming

Continuing Education Unit (CEU) courses Seminars Workshops Professional development sessions

(conference “breakout” sessions) Keynote addresses General opening and closing addresses Intensives Lectures

• Employer-based learning Direct participation in in-services and grand

rounds • Broadcast programming

Webinars Web conferencing Live web casts (with attendance confirma-

tion) • Recorded/archived learning materials with

post-completion assessment

• Standardized independent study which in-cludes a standardized learning assessment

• Multi-media packages which provide learner

participation through tests, papers, reports,

etc.

• Video- or internet-based self-study courses

which conclude with a graded quiz/test

• Literature review which concludes with a

graded quiz/test

• Recorded sessions are accepted only if a post-completion assessment is given by the provid-er and is successfully completed.

• Internet-based sessions are accepted only if there is an interactive component or if a post-completion assessment is successfully com-pleted.

Maximum of 10 PDUs of independent learning per five-year certification cycle

• Non-credit/audited classes • Networking sessions • Meetings • Session time devoted to organizational busi-

ness, entertainment, or social activities • Facility tours • Travel time • Mandatory in-services or training activities • Recorded sessions without a successfully-

completed standardized learning assessment

Independent learning that does not include a post-completion assessment

Acc

ep

ted

Li

mit

s N

ot

Acc

ep

ted

WHAT IS ACCEPTED FOR EACH ACTIVITY TYPE

WHAT IS ACCEPTED FOR EACH ACTIVITY TYPE

Presenting Fieldwork Supervision Publishing

Professional Service

• Delivering a professional presentation

• Journal article review presentation

• Patient case study presentation • Workshop, seminar, or session at a

state, national, or international conference

• Poster session at a state, national, or international conference

• In-service training, instruction, or guest lecture for child life special-ists or related professionals in their hospital or workplace

• Speech or lecture for local organi-zation, association, or group on practice area-related topic

Providing direct supervision* for child life intern Students *See Appendix V

Authoring or co-authoring any of the following: • Focus article

for the Associ-ation of Child Life Profession-als Bulletin

• Article related to the psycho-social care of children in a peer-reviewed journal

• Book/chapter on child life-related topics

• Completion of a research project/study related to child life practice

• Serving on the board of direc-tors, a com-mittee, or task force for CLC

• Serving on the board of direc-tors, a committee or task force re-lating to the psy-chosocial care of children in a health care envi-ronment

• Maximum of 20 PDUs per five-year certification cycle

• Credit for each presentation can only be earned once regardless of the number of times the material is presented

• PDUs for this activity are calculated based on the length of the presen-tation; time spent in preparing the presentation is not included.

• For staffed poster presentations, PDUs are accrued based on the for-mula 1 hour presentation = 2 PDUs OR 1 poster =2 PDUs whichever is greater.

Maximum of 10 PDUs per five-year certification cycle

• Maximum of 5 PDUs per five-year certification cycle for each type (ACLP or other organiza-tions) of com-mittee service

• No limits on the number of PDUs earned through research actitvi-ties

• Hours spent preparing presenta-tions

• Hours spent teaching or preparing academic courses

• Applicant’s pri-mary role may not be that of the coordinator of the intern-ship

• Supervision of fellowships and practicums

Working groups

Acc

ep

ted

Li

mit

s N

ot

A

cce

pte

d

ACTIVITY TYPES

tivities such as beverage or meal breaks, facility tours, and travel time is not eligible for PDUs.

This activity type includes credit- and non-credit-based learning activities such as:

• College/university classes taken for credit (whether in

pursuit of a degree or non-degree seeking) with a pass-

ing grade. Non-credit/audited college/ university clas-

ses are not accepted.

Traditional classroom lectures

Distance learning

Hybrid courses

• Certificate program courses

• Professional programming including Continuing Education Unit (CEU) courses Seminars Workshops Professional development sessions (Conference

“breakout” sessions) Keynote addresses General opening and closing addresses Intensives Lectures Skills training (programs that provide training for a

discrete task or skill) • Broadcast programming:

Webinars

Web conferencing (meetings are not accepted)

Live web casts (with attendance confirmation)

• Online training (with attendance confirmation

• Employer-based learning: Direct participation in in-services and grand rounds

specifically related to the Exam Content Outline is eligible. Recorded sessions are not accepted unless a

standardized learning assessment (e.g., quiz) is successfully completed.

Mandatory in-services or training activities such as orientation programs and sessions on workplace safety, harassment, first aid, infection control, etc. are not accepted)

• Recorded/archived learning materials with a post-completion assessment (quiz/test) (See special notes regarding recorded/archived materials on p.13)

Note: Networking sessions, meetings, session time devot-ed to organizational business, entertainment, or social ac-

Refer to the additional information found in the

important notes section on pages 12-14

TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CONFERENCES, CLASSES, ETC.)

Skills Training This refers to programs that provide training for a dis-crete task or skill. Generally, these programs are com-prised of instruction and practice portions. Only the hours of instruction qualify for PDUs. Any time spent practicing the skill, completing assignments/readings, or other homework is ineligible. To calculate the number of PDUs earned: 5 hours = 1 PDU. A minimum of 2.5 hours is required and would be equivalent to .5 PDUs. An 8-hour training session would equal 1.5 PDUs. For quality improvement training that culminates in a presentation, research project, or publication, PDUs may be claimed for the instruction portion as “traditional professional development” or the product of the training as “presenting,” “research,” or “publishing” whichever is appropriate. Applicants must choose one element for which they will claim PDUs; PDUs cannot be earned from more than one element of the training. However, if the project results in a presentation at the regional, national, or interna-tional level or publication, in a peer reviewed journal, additional PDUs may be claimed. As a reminder, CCLSs earn PDUs from these activity types as follows:

Presenting: 1-hour presentation = 2 PDU Research: 1 research project/study = 2 PDUs Publishing: 1 article, chapter, or book = 3 PDUs

ACTIVITY TYPES (Continued)

CALCULATING PDUS FOR TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

For college and university classes that are assigned a number of credit hours follow the formula:

1 credit hour = 3 PDU

For skills training , PDUs are calculated as follows: 5 hours = 1 PDU

With the exception of college/university course work and skills training, activities of this type follow the formula:

1 educational contact hour = 1 PDU

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR TRADITIONAL PROFES-

SIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Acceptable documentation for this activity type includes:

• Certificate of attendance*

• PDU Verification Form (Appendix III) from sponsor/

employer

• College/university transcript (official or unofficial ver-

sions are accepted)

• Certificates of CEUs from other professions • Report of professional development activities from

human resources department

*Including ACLP conferences. The certificate of attend-

ance must be submitted for these events.

The certificate of attendance for ACLP annual confer-

ences can be found in the Conference Proceedings which

are distributed in the tote bags at each conference. A

copy of the certificate of attendance is required for all

ACLP annual conferences. If a CCLS is unable to provide

the certificate of attendance, another form of documen-

tation, such as the PDU Verification Form (Appendix III), is

required.

CCLSs cannot earn PDUs from

sessions that are less than

30 minutes in duration.

INDEPENDENT LEARNING For the purpose of recertification, independent learning

is defined as standardized, independent study consisting

of a learning experience related to the Exam Content

Outline which has been prepared and programmed by an

organization, agency, institution, or association which

includes a standardized learning assessment (e.g., quiz/

test).

This option is available to provide flexibility to those

with specialized learning needs and to expand the con-

tinuing education opportunities for those whose options

may be limited.

CCLSs may earn a maximum of 10 PDUs per five-year

certification cycle for participating in standardized in-

dependent learning activities.

Acceptable examples include:

• Multi-media packages which provide learner partici-

pation through tests, papers, reports, etc.

• Video- or internet-based self-study courses which

conclude with a graded quiz

• Literature review which concludes with a graded

quiz

Verification of successful completion of the assessment

is required if audited. Independent learning that does

not include a third-party assessment is not accepted.

CALCULATING INDEPENDENT LEARNING PDUS

Calculation of PDUs of this type follow the formula:

Successful completion of 1 quiz/test = 1 PDU

A maximum of 10 PDUs may be earned in this manner

for each five year certification cycle.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR INDEPENDENT LEARNING

Acceptable documentation for this activity type in-

cludes:

• Sponsoring organization’s documentation of suc-

cessful completion of assessment

• Report of professional development activities from

human resources department, indicating that a

standardized assessment (test/quiz) was successful-

ly completed.

https://www.childlife.org/certification/the-exam/exam-content-outline



• Presenting or co-presenting a professional poster session at a

state, national, or international conference

1 poster = 2 PDU

Note: for staffed poster presentations—where the applicant gives a talk about the poster and/or is onsite to answer questions—the number of PDUs earned is determined by the duration of the period that the poster is staffed. PDUs are accrued based on the formula 1 hour staffed poster presentation = 2 PDUs OR 1 poster = 2 PDUs whichever is greater. The number of PDUs earned for presenting a poster (either staffed or unstaffed) is never less than 2 PDUs

• Presenting or co-presenting a professional in-service training, instruction, or guest lecture for child life specialists or related professionals in the hospital or workplace


• Presenting or co-presenting for local organization, association, or group on practice area-related topic


REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PRESENTING


• Copy of program listing that includes: presenter’s name; date, length, and location of presentation; and contact person for sup-porting organization.

• Copy of attendance record and outline of presentation • PDU Verification Form from presentation sponsor or applicant’s

supervisor

PRESENTING Delivering a professional presentation on top-ics related to the Exam Content Outline is ac-cepted in the following formats:

• Workshop, seminar, or session at a state, regional, national, or international confer-ence

• Poster session at a state, regional, nation-al, or international conference

• Journal article review or patient case study presentation for colleagues

• In-service training, instruction, or guest lecture for child life specialists or related professionals in their hospital or work-place (including speeches or lectures for local organizations, associations, or other groups on practice area-related topic)

Notes: • CCLSs may earn a maximum of 20 PDUs

per five-year certification cycle for pre-

senting activities.

• Credit for each presentation can only be earned once regardless of the number of times the material is presented.

• PDUs for this activity are calculated based on the length of the presentation; time spent in preparation is not included.

• Hours spent teaching/preparing academic courses or advising students are NOT eligi-ble for PDU credit.

CALCULATING PRESENTING PDUS

A maximum of 20 PDUs may be earned in this manner for each five-year certification cycle (limited to one-time presentation per topic; time spent on preparation cannot be included when calculating PDUs). The following formu-las are used to calculate the number of credits earned:

• Presenting or co-presenting at a profes-sional workshop, seminar, or session at a state, regional, national, or international conference


Duration of the presented session PDUs earned

30 min 1

45 min 1.5

1 hour 2

1 hour and 15 minutes 2.5

1 hour and 30 minutes 3


Duration of the staffed poster session PDUs earned

Up to and including 1 hour 2


1 hour and 30 minutes 3




FIELDWORK SUPERVISION Supervision of child life intern students is accepted provided the applicant’s primary role is not that of the coordina-tor of the internship but rather that of the direct floor supervisor or clinical rotation supervisor. Only those who as-sume responsibility for the training of the intern during his/her rotation and provide direct and formal supervision are eligible for PDU credit. Activities related to the coordination of the internship do not qualify for PDU credit. More information about the duties and requirements of these roles can be found in Appendix V.

Supervision of fellowships and practicums is not accepted.

CALCULATING FIELDWORK SUPERVISION PDUS

A maximum of 10 PDUs may be earned in this manner for each five-year certification cycle. No PDUs of this type may be earned if “Internship Coordinator” is the applicant’s primary role. For direct floor supervisors the formula below is used to calculate the number of PDUs earned:

80 hours of supervision of child life intern = 2 PDUs

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR FIELDWORK SUPERVISION

The only acceptable form of documentation for fieldwork supervision is the PDU Verification Form (Appendix III) completed by the applicant’s supervisor.

PUBLISHING Authoring or co-authoring any of the following on a topic related to the Exam Content Outline is accepted: • Focus article for the Association of Child Life Professionals Bulletin

• Article related to the psychosocial care of children published in a peer-reviewed journal • Professional book or chapter on child life-related topic

Notes:

• PDU credit for publishing is earned at the time of publication. • Books written for children as the primary audience are not eligible for PDUs. • Self-published works are not eligible for PDU credit. CALCULATING PUBLISHING PDUS

Authoring or co-authoring a published work is accepted per the formula below:

1 article, chapter, or book = 3 PDUs

A book with multiple chapters earns PDUs based on the number of chapters written by the CCLS. For example, a book with 3 chapters is equivalent to 9 PDUs.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PUBLISHING


• Copy of printed article showing the author’s name and publication date

• Copy of title page or table of contents showing the author’s name and publication date

*****

Refer to the additional information found in the

important notes section on page12-14

Page 21


PROFESSIONAL SERVICE This activity type includes:

• Completion of a research project/study related to child life practice • Serving on board of directors, committee or task force for ACLP • Serving on professional board of directors, committee, or task force relating to the psychosocial care of children in

a health care environment Term length for committee participation must be greater than or equal to nine months. CALCULATING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PDUS

Service to the child life profession in the following forms is accepted:

Completion of a research project/study on a child life-related topic = 2 PDUs (an unlimited number of PDUs may be accrued for research)

For the following types of professional service there is a limit of 5 PDUs each that can be earned in a 5-year cycle.

Serving on board of directors, committee or task force for ACLP = 1 PDU/year

Serving on professional board of directors, committee, or task force related to the psychosocial care of children in a health care environment = 1 PDU/year

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE


• Copy of conclusion or summary of research project/study

• Association of Child Life Professionals board of directors, committee, or task force roster

• Verification from board of directors of the sponsoring organization where you served on the board of directors,

committee, or task force related to the psychosocial care of children in a health care environment

RANDOM AUDIT CLCC is responsible for enforcing the set standards for professional development. To accomplish this task and maintain the integrity of the CCLS credential, the committee conducts an annual audit of randomly-selected PDU recertification applications. Specific recertification applications are selected at random not due to any doubt about the honesty or accuracy of an applicant’s PDU history.

Every applicant for recertification through PDUs has an equal chance of being audited regard-less of previous audit history; a CCLS may be audited more than once in different certification cy-cles.

CCLSs can ensure that the audit

process is simple and virtually

effortless by maintaining com-

plete and accurate documenta-

tion of their professional development activities

throughout each certification cycle.

Individual applicants to be audited are identified through a computer-generated, random selection pro-cess. These individuals are notified electronically that they must submit copies of their verification docu-mentation for the PDUs reported in their applications. The requested documentation must be received by the ACLP office on or before the specified deadline. Non-respondents will forfeit their certification. All submissions become the property of ACLP and will not be returned to the applicant. Applicants should keep original copies of all documentation for their records.

Members of the CLCC will conduct the audit process. All materials will be evaluated according to the same standards and by using identical procedures. For each person audited, the procedure produces one of the following outcomes:

• PDUs accepted as reported • PDUs denied due to lack of proper documentation • PDUs denied that do not meet established criteria

• Claimed credits adjusted to account for errors in the calculation of the number of PDUs

Individuals whose applications are being audited will be

contacted when the audit is successful and the recertifi-

cation application is accepted.

If additional information is required to fully review the

application, applicants will be offered the opportunity to

remediate any errors or incomplete portions of

the application discovered during the audit pro-

cess. If an application is incomplete, ACLP staff

will request the necessary information. If the

applicant does not respond on or before the

specified deadline, the application for recertifi-

cation will be denied and certification will expire

at the end of the year.

Certificants will be notified of the results of the

audit by a letter from the ACLP office as directed

by the CLCC. Each audited certificant has the

opportunity to either request clarification or appeal au-

dit results within 21 days of the date on the result notifi-

cation letter. More information can be found below.

If there is no response or question regarding the results

within the specified time limit, the results of the audit

are considered final. The record of the certificant’s PDUs

will be recorded in the applicant’s file by ACLP staff.

APPEAL OF RECERTIFICATION AND AUDIT RESULTS

If a CCLS’s recertification is not approved or if an audit is

unsuccessful, he/she may appeal the decision by sub-

mitting a letter to CLCC within 21 days of the date of the

letter informing the candidate that their recertification

application was not accepted. The request must state

the reason for the appeal and be accompanied by any

supporting documentation the applicant wishes to sub-

mit.

Audit of PDUs does not mean

that there is doubt about the honesty or accuracy of an

application.

REPORTING PDUS PDUs may be added online through your certification profile. 1. Login to your profile 2. Click on “certification” 3. Click on “certification portal” 4. Click on “Add PDUs” 5. From the drop down menu, select the activity type

that represents the session you are entering. (Activity types are described in detail on pages 14-21

of this document.) 6. Complete the necessary fields 7. After saving, you can “add another credit” or

“return to transcript.” The transcript or “PDU re-port” will allow you to see your progress toward the recertification requirements.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION TO RECERTIFY THROUGH

PDUS

When you have recorded all of the required PDUs and are ready to submit the application to recertify: 1. Login to your profile 2. Click on “certification” 3. Click on “certification portal” 4. Click on “submit recertification” 5. Follow the on-screen instructions to assert your

agreement to abide by the Code of Professional Practice, answer the required background ques-tions, and complete your payment.

Once submitted you will be notified if your application is accepted or if it is chosen for the random audit. If the latter, you will be provided with additional infor-mation at that time.

If paying by check, please submit a copy of the appli-cation form (including the PDU tracking form) and payment to:


1820 N Fort Myer Drive, Suite 520 Arlington, VA 22201

Decisions will be made by a majority vote of the CLCC

Appeals Sub-committee. Decisions of the Appeals

Sub-committee are final. All appeals and outcomes,

along with the complete documentation of each ap-

peal, will be maintained at the ACLP office.

Failure to follow the application directions in this

manual is not grounds for an appeal. Appeals based

on perceived failures of reminders or notifications of

certification renewal will be heard only in extraordi-

nary circumstances.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY APPLICATION IS NOT ACCEPTED?

Applicants for recertification through PDUs who fail

to complete the process as outlined herein may apply

to retake the examination within the final year of the

certification cycle. If, however, recertification is not

achieved through either method prior to the end of

the cycle, the individual’s certification will expire at

the end of the year. If certification expires, the indi-

vidual will be required to start the certification pro-

cess anew by re-establishing eligibility under the then

-current requirements and successfully completing

the examination.

APPENDIX I

Certified Child Life Specialists are required to confirm their agreement to the following Statements of Understanding: • I understand that if requested from the general public, CLCC will confirm my certification status

(active, inactive, lapsed, expired), effective/expiration dates, and identification number. • I understand that CLCC reserves the right to verify any information I have provided. • I understand that documents submitted to ACLP become the property of ACLP and will not be

returned. • I understand that aggregate data will be used for statistical study and review of the certification

process. • I have read, understand and agree to abide by the Code of Professional Practice (available at

http://www.childlife.org/docs/default-source/the-child-life-profession/code-of-professional-practice5e8ecd9c90156ede9dafff00004f030f.pdf).

• I have read and agree to abide by the ethical, security, confidentiality and other policies printed in the Candidate and Recertification Manuals (available at www.childlife.org).

• I have read and understand the conditions under which my certification can be revoked. • I acknowledge that I will receive certification-related emails and may not opt out. Please sign to confirm that you have read and agree to the above Statements of Understanding:

Signature Date

Background questions:

Yes/ No

Are you presently charged with, or have you ever been convicted of or found guilty of or pled nolo contendere to, any felony or a misdemeanor which relates to the care, health or safety of children or other individuals? Examples include but are not limited to: sexual or other abuse of a patient or child, rape, crimes of violence, possession/use/sale of a controlled substance.

Have you ever been disciplined by a state board or health or child care professional association, or are you presently being disciplined by such an entity?

Do you or have you during the past three years habitually used alcohol or any drug or substance or had a physical or mental condition which would impair competent and objective professional per-formance of child life services and/or jeopardize public health and safety?

Child Life Professional Certification Program Background Questions and Statements of Understanding

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you must submit an explanation on a separate sheet.

http://www.childlife.org

APPENDIX II

5-Year Certification End Date 12/31/20________ ACLP ID# (if known)

Name

Last First MI Maiden

Address

Street Address Apt. Number

City, State Zip Code

E-mail Phone

Certified Child Life Specialist Credential Reinstatement Application Updated 2013

Payment type (please circle one) Visa

MasterCard Check Money order

$

Credit Card # or Check # Exp Date & 3 digit security code Name on credit card (if different from applicant) Amount

Signature authorizing credit card payment:

• I am applying for the reinstatement of the CCLS credential.

• The maintenance payment that is overdue was due on January 31st of this calendar year.

• I understand that as a result of the period my credential was inactive my certification expiration date and deadlines to apply for recertification will NOT change.

Signature Date

This form to be used by individuals whose certification status is “inactive” due to non-payment of certification maintenance fees. Application must be made prior to the end of the calendar year of the delinquent pay-ment. Send this document along with payment to:



Membership Status at Time of Maintenance Fee Invoice: Reinstatement Fees Schedule

ACLP Member Non-Member

Maintenance Fee $45 $65

Late Fee $30 $30

Reinstatement Fee $55 $55

Total Due $130 $150

Any questions about the completion of this form or the reinstatement policy/process should be directed to [email protected]

APPENDIX III

Professional Development Units (PDU) Verification Form

March 2018

PDU Verification Form, page 1 of 3

Background Recertification by Professional Development Units (PDUs) provides Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLSs) the opportunity to choose continuing education and training specific to their individual professional needs.

Certificants choosing the PDU option for recertification must earn a minimum of 60 PDUs within their five-year certification cycle. Of these, a specific number must relate to each domain of the Exam Content Outline as follows:

The remaining 10 PDUs may align with any of the three domains at the discretion of the applicant.

Certificants may begin to accrue PDUs im-mediately after they have successfully com-pleted the Child Life Professional Certifica-tion Examination and may track them through their ACLP Online User Profile. Recertification applications must be re-ceived no later than October 31st of the year in which certification will expire. Please see the Recertification Manual for more information.

Purpose of Recertification through PDUs Recertification encourages CCLSs to keep current with the profession and acts as a vehi-cle to demonstrate commitment to continued growth. It is important that CCLSs be aware of new developments in the field and update their knowledge of best practices.

The recertification process requires CCLSs to document knowledge and skill development over a 5-year period in order to promote con-tinued competency.

PDU Activities and Documentation The following are acceptable types of PDU activities:

Attending Workshops/Courses Independent Learning Presenting Internship Supervision Publishing Professional Service

Within these categories, different ac-tivities earn a corresponding number of PDUs. For these details, please refer to the PDU Activities Chart on page 2 and the Recertification Manual.

PDU activities require third-party ver-ification. Each type of activity re-quires a specific kind of documenta-tion. Including, in some cases, the completion of this form.

Please refer to the PDU Activities Chart on page 2 for types of appropri-ate activities and the corresponding acceptable form of documentation.

Instructions This form may be used as documenta-tion of the following PDU activities:

Workshops/Courses and Independ-ent Learning

Employer-provided continuing education

Webinars

Workshop/seminar/lecture/professional conference session from university/college or con-tinuing education providers

Presenting

Article review or case presenta-tion to staff

Professional in-service training, instruction, or guest lecturer for child life specialists or related professionals

Internship Supervision

Direct floor supervisor for child life intern (Internship coordinator cannot be the applicant’s primary role)

This form should be completed by either the applicant’s supervisor or a representative of the institution spon-soring the activity.

Required # of PDUs

1. Professional Responsibility

Domain 3, Any Task 10

Professional Ethics (Domain 3, Task 1)

5

2. Assessment 20

3. Intervention 15

Exam

Con

ten

t

Ou

tlin

e D

om

ain

The CCLS participating in the activity should keep this form on file should it be requested by CLCC (in case of audit).

Important Notes

If your professional develop-ment activity correlates to more than one domain and task, you must choose ONE domain and task that BEST relates to the content.

Recertification applicants are required to have documentation of their participation in all PDUs submitted if requested by CLCC.

Recertification applicants should NOT submit supporting materi-als with their application unless requested by CLCC.

A maximum of two (2) PDU activities may be recorded on this form. Additional copies may be submitted.

Photocopies of this form are accepted.

Applicants are encouraged to keep for their records a copy of this form and all materials sub-mitted to CLCC.

Professional Development Unit (PDU) Activities

Activity PDU Value Verification Documentation

Traditional Professional Development (Conferences, Classes, etc.) Association of Child Life Professionals Conference 1 hour = 1 PDU Certificate of attendance

Association of Child Life Professionals Webinars 1 hour = 1 PDU Certificate of attendance

Employer-provided continuing education 1 hour= 1 PDU Certificate of attendance or PDU Verification

Form from sponsor/employer

Workshops, seminars, lectures, professional conferences, or

webinars from continuing education providers, universities or

colleges (live or recorded)

1 hour= 1 PDU Certificate of attendance or PDU Verification

Form from sponsor/employer

Academic coursework 1 credit hour= 3 PDUs College/university transcript

Independent Learning (Maximum of 10 PDUs per 5-year cycle) Reading professional journal article or chapter and passing

test provided by sponsoring organization

1 test = 1 PDU Sponsoring organization’s documentation of

completion

Presenting (Maximum of 20 PDUs per 5-year cycle) Presenting or co-presenting a professional workshop, seminar,

or session at a state, national, or international conference

(one-time presentation per topic; time spent on preparation

cannot be included)

1 hour = 2 PDU Copy of presentation or program listing that

includes: presenter’s name; date, length, and

location of presentation; and contact person

for organization.

Presenting or co-presenting a professional poster session at a

state, national, or international conference (one-time presen-

tation per topic)

1 poster = 2 PDU Copy of presentation or program listing that



for organization.

Preparing and presenting article review and/or case presenta-

tion to staff (one-time presentation per topic)

1 article review/ presentation =

1 PDU

PDU Verification Form from Director/Manager

Presenting or co-presenting a professional in-service training,

instruction, or guest lecture for child life specialists or related

professionals in their hospital or workplace (one-time presen-

tation per topic; time spent on preparation cannot be includ-

ed)

1 hour = 1 PDU Copy of attendance record and outline of

presentation, or PDU Verification Form from

sponsor/employer

Presenting or co-presenting for local organization, association,

or group on practice area-related topic (one-time presentation

per topic; time spent on preparation cannot be included)

1 hour = 1 PDU Copy of presentation or program listing that



for organization.

Internship Supervision (Maximum of 10 PDUs per 5-year cycle) Direct floor supervisor for child life intern (Internship Coordi-

nator cannot be the applicant’s primary role)

2 PDUs per 80 hours of student

supervision

PDU Verification Form from employer

Publishing

Publishing or co-publishing a Focus article for the Association

of Child Life Professionals Bulletin

1 Focus article= 3 PDUs Copy of printed article

Publishing or co-publishing an article related to the psychoso-

cial care of children in a peer-reviewed journal

1 article = 3 PDUs Copy of title page or table of contents

Publishing or co-publishing a book/chapter on child-life relat-

ed topics

1 chapter = 3 PDUs Copy of title page or table of contents

Professional Service

Completion of a research project/study 2 PDUs Copy of conclusion or summary

Serving on board of directors, committee, or task force for CLC 1 PDU per year

(Maximum 5 per 5- year cycle)

Association of Child Life Professionals Roster

Serving on professional board of directors, committee, or task

force related to the psychosocial care of children in a health

care environment

1 PDU per year

(Maximum 5 per 5- year cycle)

Verification from Board of the sponsoring

organization


By signing this form you attest that the above named individual participated in the PDU activities described above.


Signature

Name

ACLP ID# (if known)

Date

Participant Name

PLEASE PRINT

Workshops/Courses/Independent

Learning

Check one PDU type

Presenting


Workshops, seminars, lectures, professional conferences, or webinars from continuing education providers, universities or colleges

Title

Sponsoring Organization

Location (City, State)

Exam Content Outline (Domain and Subdomain)

Start Date (D/M/Y)

End Date (D/M/Y)

Start Time

End Time

Number of PDUs

Article review or case presentation to staff

Professional in-service training, instruction, or guest lecturer

for child life specialists or related professionals

Title

Organization

(See p.2 for details on how to calculate)

Title

Sponsoring Organization

Location (City, State)

Exam Content Outline (Domain and Subdomain)

Start Date (D/M/Y)

End Date (D/M/Y)

Start Time

End Time

Number of PDUs

(See p.2 for details on how to calculate)


Direct floor supervisor for child life intern (Internship Coordi-

nator cannot be the applicant’s primary role)

Workshops/Courses/Independent

Learning

Check one PDU type

Presenting


Workshops, seminars, lectures, professional conferences, or webinars from continuing education providers, universities or colleges

Article review or case presentation to staff

Professional in-service training, instruction, or guest lecturer

for child life specialists or related professionals


Direct floor supervisor for child life intern (Internship Coordi-

nator cannot be the applicant’s primary role) Professional Service

Child Life Professional Certification Exam Content Outline

Updated 2014

Domains and Tasks (weights in parentheses)

Number of Questions

Domain 1: Professional Responsibility (30%) 45

Tasks:

1 Maintain professional standards of practice through adherence to established ethical guidelines in order to provide respectful and competent care (8%)

12

2 Promote professional relationships (e.g., children and families, child life team, interdisciplinary teams, community resources) in order to enhance communication and collaboration, foster child- and family-centered care, and maximize positive outcomes (7%)

11

3 Educate staff, students, volunteers, and the community in order to promote greater awareness of the needs of children and families as well as the child life profession (7%)

10

4 Perform administrative responsibilities (3%) 5

5 Participate in selecting, training, supervising, evaluating, and retaining child life volunteers (5%)

7

Domain 2: Assessment (30%) 45

Tasks:

1 Identify, obtain, and use relevant data (e.g., health care, family, child) to develop a comprehensive assessment and initiate a plan of care (10%)

15

2 Identify developmental factors and their implications (10%) 15

3 Identify psychosocial factors and their implications (10%) 15

Domain 3: Intervention (40%) 60

Tasks:

1 Provide psychosocially and developmentally appropriate support that is responsive to the specific needs of children and families (7%)

11

2 Empower and collaborate with children and families to develop and use advocacy skills (6%)

8

3 Provide educational opportunities and resources that are responsive to the needs of the child and family in order to promote learning and mastery (6%)

8

4 Facilitate preparation (e.g., psychological, educational) with the child and family in order to minimize fear and anxiety and to promote mastery of their experience (7%)

11

5 Facilitate the utilization of effective coping strategies by the child and family in order to minimize distress and promote empowerment (7%)

11

6 Facilitate play in order to encourage expression, process information, and promote development and normalization (7%)

11

APPENDIX IV

CLINICAL INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR:

Individual person who assumes responsibility for developing and implementing the student internship experience. • Is responsible for the educational development and guid-

ance of the intern in the clinical setting, including: Demonstrating, modeling & teaching professional be-

haviors and skills Defining action steps to achieve competence relative to

Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Standards of Clinical Practice and Competencies (see Official Doc-uments of the Child Life Council/Association of Child Life Professionals)

Setting learning goals/objectives Creating and maintaining an effective learning environ-

ment Providing opportunities for exploring ethical issues Providing feedback regarding professional boundaries Facilitating the individual’s application of theory to

practice Orienting the individual to the placement site and poli-

cies Monitoring performance by observing the individual’s

progress and providing opportunities for discussion, feedback and growth

• Works with the clinical rotation supervisors throughout the internship to educate, evaluate, mentor and coach interns who wish to pursue a career in child life.

• Ensures that the internship curriculum is consistent with the ACLP Child Life Clinical Internship Curriculum.

• Ensures educational opportunities for interns are available to help them gain knowledge and experience in relation to the child life competencies.

• Serves as a liaison between the child life department and academic institutions.

• Provides oversight and support in providing accurate and consistent evaluation of all interns enrolled in the intern-ship experience.

• Attests that all conditions and requirements set forth on both pages of the verification form have been met.

• Has weekly meetings with the interns

APPENDIX V

CLINICAL ROTATION SUPERVISOR:

Person who assumes responsibility of intern during their rotation and provides direct and formal supervi-sion. Is responsible for the educational development and guidance of the intern in the clinical setting to in-clude:

Demonstrating, modeling & teaching profes-sional behaviors and skills

Defining action steps to achieve competence relative to ACLP’s Standards of Clinical Practice and Competencies (see Official Documents of the Child Life Council/Association of Child Life Professionals)

Setting learning goals/objectives Creating and maintaining an effective learning

environment Providing opportunities for exploring ethical

issues Providing feedback regarding professional

boundaries Facilitating the individual’s application of theo-

ry to practice Orienting the individual to the placement site

and policies Monitoring performance by observing the indi-

vidual’s progress and providing opportunities for discussion, feedback and growth

It is important for clinical rotation supervisors to: • Have daily contact with the individual, working at

least 80% of the same hours • Schedule private, weekly, formal, uninterrupted

supervision meetings with the intern • Have no dual relationships with the intern (family

member, spouse, friend, etc.) • Arrange for alternate supervision of the intern by

another CCLS in his/her absence • Monitor the fulfillment of required hours • Directly observe the intern in order to monitor

and evaluate performance • Model for and then observe the intern demon-

strating a minimum, entry-level professional com-petence

DEFINITIONS OF INTERNSHIP SUPERVISION ROLES

Application for Child Life Professional Recertification through

Application for Child Life Professional Recertification through Professional Development Hours (PDUs), page 1 of 4

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 31 of the year certification cycle ends

A PDU is a unit of measure for tracking continuing educa-tion credits. All PDUs must be recorded in increments of at least 30 minutes or .5 PDU. Hours will be rounded down to the next lowest .5 hour increment. Conferences must be broken down into individual sessions. Each conference breakout session attended must be listed as a separate line entry on page 4 of this application. Additional copies of page 4 may be submitted if more space is required.

• Traditional professional development (conference sessions, college courses, work-shops, seminars)

• Independent study

• Presenting • Internship

supervision • Publishing • Professional

service

The following activity types will be accepted for PDUs:

Current recertification fees can be found on the ACLP website under Certification—Recertification. DO NOT send supporting documentation at this time. If ran-domly chosen for audit, you will be required to submit docu-mentation at that time. Candidates paying with a credit card are encouraged to track and submit PDUs from their ACLP Online user profile. If paying by check, submit all pages of this form with payment to:



571-483-4482

If you were certified/recertified prior to 2015: You must earn a minimum of 50 PDUs during your current five-year certification cycle. You are not required to have PDUs in each of the exam domains. However, candidates recertification must indicate a domain for each PDU. In your next certification cycle you will be required to meet the following requirements

If you certify/recertify in 2015 or subsequent years: You must earn a minimum of 60 PDUs. Additional requirements apply, please see the Recertification Manual for details. Candidates for recertification MUST indicate a domain for each PDU. Of these, a specific number must relate to each domain of the Exam Content Outline (Appendix IV) as follows: A minimum of 15 of the 60 required PDUs must fall within the Professional Responsibility domain; of these a minimum of 5 must be related to professional ethics (Domain I, Task 1: Maintain professional standards of practice through adherence to es-tablished ethical guidelines in order to provide respectful and competent care).

A minimum of 20 of the 60 required PDUs must fall within the Assessment domain

A minimum of 15 of the 60 required PDUs must fall within the Intervention domain The remaining 10 PDUs may align with any of the three domains at the discretion of the CCLS.

Within these categories, different activities earn a corresponding number of PDUs. Some of these activities have been limited to a specific number of PDUs within the five-year certification cycle to prevent applicants from acquiring a limited range of profes-sional development. Please see the Recertification Manual for further information.

APPENDIX VI

Step 3. Payment Information

Payment type (please circle one) Visa

MasterCard Check Money order

$

Credit Card # or Check # Exp Date & 3 Digit Security Code Name on credit card (if different from applicant) Amount*

Signature authorizing credit card payment:

Application for Child Life Professional Recertification through Professional Development Units (PDUs), page 2 of 4

*Please see ACLP website for current recertification fees*

Step 1. Contact Information

Last 4 Digits of Social Security # (or Social Insurance#): ACLP ID# (if known)

Name

Last First MI Maiden

Address

Street Address Apt. Number

City, State Zip Code

E-mail Phone

Step 2. Certification History

Date You Passed the Exam

Have you previously RECERTIFIED? Yes No In what year?

Current Certification Cycle Expiration Date

For office use only—please do not write below this line Member Yes No Signed Yes No PM Rec’d

Invoice # Batch # Date Pmt Processed

# Accepted Reviewed by OK to Recertify Yes No

Notes

Please sign to confirm that you have read and agree to the Statements of Understanding:

Signature Date

Step 5. Statements of Understanding

• I attest that the information in this application is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

• I have read, understand and agree to abide by the Code of Ethical Responsibility found on the ACLP Web site.

• Upon recertification, I understand that if requested from the general public, the CLCC will confirm my certification status and

effective/expiration dates.

• I understand that CLCC reserves the right to verify any information I have provided in this application.

• I understand that my application and verification documents become the property of the CLCC and will not be returned.

• I have read and agree to abide by ACLP’s security, confidentiality and other policies printed in the Candidate Manual.

• I have read and understand the conditions under which my certification can be revoked.

• I acknowledge that I will receive certification-related emails and may not opt out.

Statements of Understanding

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you must submit an explanation on a separate sheet. Yes No

Are you presently charged with, or have you ever been convicted of or found guilty of or pled nolo contendere

to, any felony or a misdemeanor which relates to the care, health or safety of children or other individuals?

Examples include but are not limited to: sexual or other abuse of a patient or child, rape, crimes of violence,

possession/use/sale of a controlled substance.

Have you ever been disciplined by a state board or a health care or child care professional association, or are

you presently being disciplined by such an entity?

Do you or have you during the past three years habitually used alcohol or any drug or substance or had a

physical or mental condition which would impair competent and objective professional performance of child life

services and/or jeopardize public health and safety?

Step 5. Record Professional Development Units (PDUs)

Application for Child Life Professional Recertification through Professional Development Units (PDUs), page 3 of 4

Session Title Sponsor or Institution

Exam

Content

Outline Domain

Date(s)

Beginning & Ending

Times

Number of of Sessions

(If Applicable)

# of

PDUs Activity

Type

Professional

Ethics: Doing the Right Thing

ACLP I - Professional Responsibility

5/29/14 11:00am - 12:15pm

n/a 2.5 Presenting

The Family

Children’s Hospital

II - Assessment 1/24/14-1/25/14

8-9am 2 2 Traditional

Examples

Step 4. Background Questions

Please list on the following page all of your Professional Development Units. Be sure to complete ALL requested infor-mation and write legibly. For assistance with this form, please see the instructions on page 1. We recommend printing a copy of the Exam Content Outline before starting. This can be found under Certification-The Examination-Exam Content Outline on the ACLP website at www.childlife.org.

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