From California to China: A Decade of Healing Together
In the Fall of 2017, the Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health (SBH) inaugurated a pioneering academic initiative aimed at equipping pediatric nurses from the People's Republic of China with formal training in the field of Child Life. This program was the culmination of a four-year academic exchange between SBH faculty and students and the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (ZCH) in Hangzhou, China. This collaboration introduced key child life theories and concepts to Chinese pediatric professionals, promoting cross-cultural exchange and enhancing global pediatric psychosocial care.
The collaborative partnership between the SBH and ZCH was initiated in 2014, when program director Michelle Minyard-Widmann and clinical director Alisha Saavedra conducted an initial visit to ZCH to introduce the foundational principles of family-centered care and emotional safety initiatives. This initial engagement laid the groundwork for a subsequent visit later that year, during which SBH faculty and students delivered a series of lectures and experiential workshops—including Teddy Bear Clinics—designed to demonstrate therapeutic play techniques that facilitate pediatric coping with hospitalization and medical interventions. Between 2014 and 2020, annual visits by SBH Child Life faculty and students played a critical role in embedding child life principles into the institutional culture at ZCH, thereby fostering sustained cross-cultural knowledge exchange and capacity building in pediatric psychosocial care.
Per the lead Child Life practitioner Xiaohua (Nancy) WU, RN, CCSL at ZCH, "A foundational grant was awarded to ZCH supporting the development of its own child life program—an especially notable advancement at a time when China had only one practicing Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS)." Subsequent strategic conversations involving ZCH leadership, the Loma Linda University Global Health Institute, SBH administration, and the child life manager at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital (LLUCH) led to the creation of a formal training track aimed at expanding child life services in China.
Today, ZCH's child life initiative spans three hospital campuses and includes about 60 child-friendly play environments, such as therapeutic playrooms and child-centered libraries. The hospital's Child Life team consists of 60 trained pediatric nurses. Each clinical department has educational and therapeutic play kits to help prepare children for medical procedures which include items to educate children about admission to the hospital, emotional support resources, diagnostic education tools, and psychological preparation materials for exams, procedures, and surgeries. These kits reflect a comprehensive approach to pediatric patient care.
One of the hallmark achievements of the ZCH program is the development of the award-winning Medical Squadron tabletop card game, which received the "Best Social Impact Award" at the 3rd Asian Gamification Conference (GCA). Additionally, ZCH has published its own Child Life Standards (2023) and the book Child Life Practice (2024), both of which now serve as foundational texts for child life programs across China.
In April 2024, ZCH further advanced its national leadership in the field by launching the first Zhejiang Health Commission-certified "Child Life Specialist Nurse" training program. The program's inaugural cohort trained 30 nurses from 10 provinces, while the second cohort, beginning in April 2025, includes 27 nurses from 12 provinces. The cohorts reflect a growing nationwide interest in child life services and training.
On October 8, 2024, ZCH hosted the Child Life 10th Anniversary Celebration, marking a decade of progress. The event featured the release of the Chinese edition of Healing Children, as well as the official establishment of the National Child Life Innovation Alliance—a collaborative network comprising 17 leading pediatric and general hospitals across China.
Despite growing enthusiasm, challenges remain. There is significant interest among Chinese healthcare professionals in obtaining the international Child Life Specialist certification through the Child Life Certification Commission. However, obstacles such as language barriers, limited access to clinical training opportunities, and the excessive costs of overseas study continue to impede progress.
Given Loma Linda University's long-standing partnership with ZCH, there is strong interest in exploring future collaborations to help address these barriers. Specifically, stakeholders have expressed a desire to develop a joint training initiative—potentially including virtual instruction and domestic clinical placements—to support eligible Chinese nurses in pursuing CCLS certification. Establishing ZCH as a recognized clinical site for international CCLS candidates could open important doors for professionals facing logistical and linguistic challenges. This evolving partnership reflects Loma Linda University's ongoing commitment to global health and education, and offers a promising vision for expanding high-quality, compassionate pediatric care worldwide through child life services.
MichelleMinyard-Widmann of LLUH;
ZCH Child Life Team
