Association of Child Life Professionals endorses TXST’s Human Development and Family Sciences graduate program

The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) has awarded an academic endorsement to the Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) graduate program at TXST, making it the first in-person program in Texas to receive it.

Through a comprehensive review process, representatives from ACLP comb through each course, syllabus, and quality of content to conclude if the program meets the standards of the association. The endorsement lasts from Sept. 1, 2026, through Sept. 1, 2031.

“We were really excited to get the ACLP endorsement because we've applied for a long time, and now we meet the standards of this large endorsing body,” said Amy Weimer, Ph.D., professor and director of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. 

“We have a lot of graduate students who come to our program from all over, and they come because they know that we have a very high quality in-person child life program.”

The HDFS program offers students a career path as child life practitioners, child and family advocacy, youth ministry, early childhood education, human services, and more. This type of practitioner is considered a newer member of the overall healthcare team, and they can play a critical role in the wellness of a child. The job growth outlook for social and community service managers is estimated to be six percent, which is faster than the national average.

Through the program, students examine the rates of recovery in children, how they cope in a hospital setting, and how they’re improving in their overall healthcare. Students also work with children and adolescents to support them as they cope with parental illness and loss.

“We see that child life specialists make a big difference in those areas,” she said. “They play a major role in reducing the stressful and traumatic aspects of being in clinical settings no matter if the child is terminally or chronically ill. We talk with children at their level about preparation, pain distraction, use play therapy, and other coping tools that help the whole family through the process.”

In addition to traditional coursework, students are also required to participate in a practicum to shadow a child life practitioner in a clinical setting to experience their day-to-day in a professional role.

Eleven students and two faculty members from the HDFS program recently spent three weeks in India at Manipal Hospital Yelahanka earlier this summer as part of their practicum. 

There, they provided play opportunities to pediatric patients, job-shadowed a certified child life specialist, observed medical professionals in various departments to better understand the environment, designed and established the hospital’s first playroom, and more.

Students also embarked on excursions to cultural sites, including Mysore, Nandi Hills, and Taj Mahal, to provide cultural context to better understand the environment and traditions of the families and systems of India. 

Bianca Hernandez, a student in the HDFS program, said she had a profound experience during her time in India.

“I got to meet so many beautiful souls who always showed a helping hand regardless of if they didn’t have much to offer,” Hernandez said. “The kindness they showed always shined through. What stuck out to me while visiting was when we were at a temple, we were told ‘Believe, Behave, Become.’ I interpreted it as believe and care for the people I serve, behave in the actions I show, and become who I want to be. This has stuck with me and is something I will take into my life and future work with families.”

Students must also complete a semester-long internship where they complete job-shadowing work under the supervision of a certified child life practitioner, usually in a hospital setting. After graduation, students must pass the state-mandated certification to become eligible to work as a child life practitioner.

“Our students complete internships all over the country, and we’ve even had some complete them internationally,” Weimer said. “Most of our students like to stay in Texas if they can. We’ve built great relationships with multiple hospitals in the area, including Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin and CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, and they like taking our students because they know they’re good students.”

Visit the TXST HDFS website for more information on the program, courses, admissions policies, and career opportunities.