From Connection to Empowerment
Hi, I’m Katie Taylor, a Certified Child Life Specialist and the CEO of Child Life On Call. My journey into this field has been shaped by over a decade of working with families in various healthcare settings. I’ve worked everywhere from pediatric intensive care units to outpatient clinics, supporting children and their families as they navigate the often overwhelming medical world.
But my passion for this work didn’t end with clinical practice. I saw a gap—a need for families to have access to the life-changing support that child life specialists provide, whether they were inside the walls of a hospital or not. That’s what led to the creation of Child Life On Call, and eventually, our SupportSpot app.
Why Child Life On Call Started: The Birth of a Community
In 2017, I launched the Child Life On Call podcast. My goal was simple: to create a space where parents could connect, share, and support each other through their children's healthcare journeys. When a child is hospitalized or facing a medical procedure, it can feel incredibly isolating for families. I wanted to build a bridge—connecting parents to one another and to resources that would make these experiences less daunting and more manageable.
As the podcast grew, so did the realization that the need for support extended far beyond stories. Parents were telling me that they needed practical tools and guidance to feel empowered during their children’s healthcare experiences. They needed information that was accessible and personalized to their unique situations. That’s when we knew we had to do more.
Filling the Gaps: Why We Built the SupportSpot App
Through conversations with families, healthcare providers, and child life specialists, it became clear that there was a significant gap in the continuity of care and support for parents outside of the hospital setting. The child life specialists I worked with had profound impacts on the families they served, but once families left the hospital, they were often on their own. That’s where the idea for the SupportSpot app was born.
SupportSpot was designed to extend the reach of child life services beyond the walls of the hospital. We created a resource that parents can access anytime, anywhere, to get the support, strategies, and knowledge they need to advocate for their child. The app is filled with resources that explain medical procedures in a way that kids can understand, offer emotional support strategies for families, and provide tools to help communicate with healthcare teams effectively.
Our goal with SupportSpot is to make sure no parent ever feels unprepared or overwhelmed when navigating the healthcare system with their child. Child life specialists are usually only available in hospitals, but what we know can make a difference in everyday parenting, too. Every parent deserves to have access to the insights that can reduce stress and anxiety for their child during medical experiences, whether it’s a routine check-up or something more serious.
The Impact of Child Life: A Personal Perspective
As a Child Life Specialist and a parent, I’ve witnessed firsthand how empowering families with the right information and support can completely change the trajectory of their healthcare experiences. I remember working with a young patient in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit whose family had been through an incredibly tough time. Through small, intentional actions like using simple communication methods, we were able to not only meet the patient’s medical needs but also ensure his emotional well-being. It was in moments like these that the importance of integrating child life practices into all healthcare experiences became even more apparent.
Whether it’s through medical play that helps a child prepare for a procedure or working with parents to build their confidence in supporting their child, the principles of child life are transformative. But what happens when a family leaves the hospital? That’s where the need for something like SupportSpot becomes clear. It’s about taking what child life specialists do in the hospital and extending it into the home, school, and community.
Empowering Parents, Changing Outcomes
The healthcare system is complex, and it’s easy for parents to feel sidelined in their child’s care. Our mission with Child Life On Call and SupportSpot is to change that. We want to empower parents to become confident advocates for their children, armed with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate healthcare with less stress and more clarity. We believe that when parents have access to child life resources, it not only makes their child’s healthcare experiences more positive but also improves overall outcomes.
One of the reasons I’m so passionate about this work is because I know how transformative it can be when families feel informed and supported. I’ve seen how a small piece of information or a simple coping strategy can make a world of difference. Through the podcast, our virtual services, and now with SupportSpot, we’re on a mission to bring this empowerment to as many families as possible.
What’s Next for Child Life On Call?
We’re continuously evolving based on the feedback and needs of the families we serve. Whether it’s expanding the resources available in SupportSpot, offering virtual consultations, or building partnerships with healthcare organizations, everything we do is driven by our commitment to filling the gaps in support for families.
Our message is clear: No family should feel lost or overwhelmed during their child’s healthcare journey. With the right tools and support, parents can be strong advocates and partners in their child’s care. We’re here to make sure that happens.
Social Media Accounts:
Current Offerings:
- SupportSpot App
- Child Life On Call Podcast
- Download: How to Prepare Your Child for a Loved One’s Surgery
- Download: Learn 6 Positions to Help Kids Feel Comfortable and Safe
- Course: Mastering Immunizations: How to prepare, support, and respond to your child during immunizations like a child life specialist.
- Author of Chapter: Child Life in the Virtual World, The Role of Child Life Specialists in Community Settings
- Children’s Book Author: Super Silly Wash Your Hands Dance Book
Author bio:
Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform revolutionizing pediatric healthcare by putting parents at the center of the medical journey. With over 14 years of experience as a certified child life specialist, Katie has made significant contributions to the field of child life and the families she’s served with over a decade of working at the bedside. She is an accomplished author, engaging child life and entrepreneurship speaker, and the Child Life On Call Podcast host. Katie's work emphasizes the vital role of child life services in supporting caregivers and enhancing children's medical journeys.
Upon completing her education at The Pennsylvania State University, Katie embarked on a meaningful career journey, making a significant impact in the field of child safety and well-being. Initially, Katie devoted her talents to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where she excelled in the community outreach department. Her role involved traveling extensively across the country, imparting crucial knowledge to law enforcement, educators, government officials, and community members on matters concerning child safety.
Passionate about supporting young patients during challenging times, Katie underwent clinical training as a child life specialist at Children's National Medical Center and Inova Children's Hospital. Building on this invaluable experience, she extended her contributions to various institutions, including Inova Children's Hospital, Dell Children's Medical Center, and St. David's Children's Hospital in Austin, Texas.
Throughout her tenure in these renowned medical facilities, Katie demonstrated remarkable versatility, working adeptly in outpatient, inpatient, and pediatric intensive care units. Notably, she played a pivotal role in establishing child life services within the Level 3 NICU, encompassing over 80 beds, leaving a lasting positive impact on the care of critically ill newborns and their families. Katie's dedication to enhancing the well-being of children and families is evident in her diverse and influential roles within the child life field.
