Today on the blog: A guest writer!

We are welcoming Leora to our community of guest writers. She has so much information when it comes to the certification exam!

My name is Leora, I have been a child life specialist for 3 years and live in NJ. I have always struggled with exams so when I began studying for the ACLP CCLS exam I made sure to set myself up for success. After going through that process I quickly realized that there were some gaps in the information available to students. Therefore, one of the areas I have focused on while supporting students is preparing for the exam. I am so grateful to Lauren for allowing me to share some of the common questions (and answers of course) that I have been asked over the years. 

How is the exam set up?

• Every few years the Child Life Certification Commission (CLCC) reviews the exam content outline to determine any necessary updates. The next planned update is scheduled to take effect for the March 2024 exam.
• The exam is offered three times a year- March, August and November, each within a two-week period.
• There are 150 questions on the exam and you are given 4 hours to complete it. Of the 150 questions, 25 are ‘pretest’ questions which do not count towards your score, however it is not indicated which these are. There are a few different versions of the exam and each one has a different weight scale for the questions. In order to pass the exam, one must score 500/800. Given that the questions are weighted, there is no set number of questions that you need to answer correctly in order to pass. 
• The questions are all multiple choice and can vary between scenario based and informational.
• You are able to bookmark certain questions to return to later on rather than answer in order. Since you are typically allowed a piece of paper, I suggest indicating the answers you are deciding between for any question you bookmark, this way when you return to it later your choices are limited. 
• This scrap paper is also good for writing down any notes you have in mind that you want to refer to later on. I suggest writing down things like developmental stages, assessment tools, and other theories you may want to utilize later on. This way when you have a question that comes up later, rather than think back to the theories, you can simply look at your paper.

How do I register for the exam?

• When registering for the exam, it is important to review your name and address listed on your ACLP account. This is because the ACLP is actually the one who registers you and they will pull the information from your account. Be sure to confirm that your name on your ACLP account matches with your photo ID
• Once you have submitted your internship hours to the ACLP you should receive an email allowing you to register for the exam. They tend to send these out in batches so don’t be concerned if it doesn’t come right away. You should then get an email allowing you to schedule your exam. I personally recommend taking it at an exam center, rather than proctor-at-home. 

What’s the best way to prepare for the exam?

• At this point in your student career you probably know what study techniques work best for you. However, I always recommend leaving the door open to new possibilities. Some techniques I have seen success with are:
  • Meeting with a regular study group,
  • Making flash cards for some of the information troubling you so that it can be reviewed more frequently
  • Utilizing tutoring services
  • Reading through the books by reading a chapter a day
  • Taking practice tests

What can I use to prepare and study?

• • Some of the books I recommend using to prepare are
    • The Handbook of Child Life
    • Meeting Children’s Psychosocial Needs Across the Healthcare Continuum
    • Psychosocial Care of Children in Hospitals: A Clinical Practice Manual
    • Making Ethical Decisions in Child Life Practice Child Life Council
    • ACLP Official Documents
    • Research Methods for Child Life Specialists
  • There are other helpful resources available such as practice tests, study guides or online courses. There are many free practice tests available online, however it’s important to remember that you get what you pay for. The ACLP has a study package available for purchase which comes with a practice exam. There are also some others available for purchase online. In addition to the study sessions available on https://allchildlife.square.site, there are some other programs that offer courses for review. 

Have more questions?

• • Feel free to contact allchildlife@gmail.com or reach out to the ACLP directly via certification@childlife.org. There is also some really helpful information on the ACLP website here- https://www.childlife.org/certification/becoming-certified. Good luck!