Swallows in Los Angeles: Inspiration from the Global Child Life Conference
- infovlastovka
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
At the end of May, two of our Swallows, Míša and Klárka, attended the Child Life Conference 2025 – a global gathering of child life specialists, held this year in Los Angeles, USA. It was four days filled with inspiration, sharing experiences, and connecting with professionals from all over the world.
To make the most of their trip, they also arranged visits to two children’s hospitals with well-developed child life programs – UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Both stops gave them the chance to see an environment where child life is not something to fight for, but is instead considered a natural, essential part of healthcare.
Experiences from the trip:
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
Thanks to the amazing Kelli, we had the opportunity to see what a children’s hospital can look like when it is designed with children in mind from the very beginning. No flashy colors, overcrowded playrooms, or broken toys – instead, a tasteful, calm, and welcoming environment where child life specialists actively help create spaces for children.
Kelli guided us through playrooms, showed us the recording audio/video studio, children’s 3D-printed creations, and introduced us to her colleagues. She shared practical tips from her work, including the use of play materials, team structure, and the U.S. educational system. What’s more – she offered us her ongoing support, becoming Vlaštovka’s very first external advisor. We are incredibly grateful for that!
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Our second stop was a hospital where child life is closely connected with reading and therapy. Child life specialist Carol gave us a tour of the wards, showed us playrooms, and introduced us to countless tools that help children better understand the hospital and their treatment. What impressed us most was the literary program: every child admitted to the hospital receives one brand-new book for free each day of their stay. Reading is used as a tool to help children cope with separation from home and with anxiety about the hospital environment. Another highlight was the therapy dogs – we met them everywhere: at the reception, in hallways, in the elevator, even on the rooftop terrace. The dogs are not only for children but also for parents and even healthcare staff, who come by to take a break, pet a dog, and release tension.
Child Life Conference 2025
The conference itself was tremendously valuable. We learned about the latest trends in child life research, discovered new techniques to support children during medical procedures, and found inspiration for our work with families in palliative care.Above all, we brought home the sense that we are not alone – that there is a global community of professionals who share our values and approach to children. We met people we can learn from and gained reassurance that our work has a measurable, research-based impact.
What did our Swallows take away from LA?
From Los Angeles, we brought back:
new techniques and strategies for working with children and families,
inspiration for creating safer and calmer hospital environments,
international contacts and support,
undeniable proof that play can profoundly change the stories of children and families.
It was an unforgettable experience that is helping us move Vlaštovka – and the entire field of child life in the Czech Republic – forward.
