Laurel’s path to a career in Child Life began during her childhood. At just 3 years old, she experienced the passing of her younger brother due to SIDS, setting the foundation for her comprehension of grief. “I think that experience planted an empathy seed within me,” says Laurel. “It’s really special how I am able to use my experiences to support families here at Nemours Children’s. I’m able to understand grief within a family dynamic, including the sibling perspective, and share my insights, along with my training, into its effects on daily life and a family’s ability to cope.” In fifth grade, Laurel encountered child life firsthand during a hospitalization for a urethral reimplantation. From preparation for surgery to post-operative support, she found peace in the playroom activities and therapeutic interventions facilitated by her Certified Child Life Specialists. It was during these years that she discovered the importance of psychosocial […]
Nemours Children’s Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation Announce Healthcare Provider Training to Care for Military and Veteran Caregiving Youth
Nemours Children’s Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation are pleased to announce the national release of Caring for Children and Teens in Military Caregiving Families, a continuing education course to increase healthcare providers’ ability to understand and support the unique needs of children in military families. The three-part training is designed for primary, specialty, and behavioral health care providers and care team members who see children and teens from military and veteran caregiving families. The recommendations offered in the training were informed by more than 200 survey and focus group responses from parents and guardians of children and teens growing up in military caregiving homes as well as the experts featured in the presentation. The course is intended to provide a high-level overview. It is supplemented by a resource document with links for taking a deeper dive into topics addressed in the modules. The course is available via the continuing […]