Meet Katie Taylor | CCLS, CEO & Co-Founder Child Life On Call

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?

Child Life On Call (CLOC) plays a pivotal role in enhancing healthcare experiences for children and their families by making child life services more accessible and comprehensive. Our mission-driven approach focuses on empowering parents with the knowledge and tools to effectively support their child’s emotional and physical well-being during medical encounters. By providing a mobile app filled with child life support resources, CLOC ensures that families have access to vital coping plans, educational materials, and interactive features like “build a coping plan,” regardless of the size or resources of their local child life program.

Our impact extends beyond individual families to the healthcare community at large. By offering a platform that enables child life specialists, nurses, physicians, and other care team members to collaborate more effectively, CLOC facilitates a more integrated approach to pediatric care. This not only enhances the quality of care provided but also contributes to better outcomes for children and their families.

It’s our hope that by reducing the workload on child life specialists, CLOC helps prevent burnout among these crucial care providers, ensuring that their services can reach more families in need. This approach ultimately bridges the gap in services for families, making child life resources an indispensable part of every family’s healthcare journey.

Our commitment to expanding access to child life services creates a ripple effect of positive outcomes. It not only supports children and families during some of their most challenging times but also promotes a more collaborative, efficient, and compassionate healthcare system. Through our efforts, we aim to make child life services a non-negotiable part of pediatric care, reflecting our belief in the profound difference these services can make in the lives of children and their families around the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey in the world of pediatric digital health has been both rewarding and challenging, shaped by a deep passion for making a tangible difference in the lives of children and their families during their most difficult life experiences. From my early days at The Pennsylvania State University participating in THON to my at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, each experience has contributed to my unique perspective on psychosocial care, advocacy, and emotional support.

Transitioning into the role of a certified child life specialist was a non-negotiable for me. Once I learned about the profession it was like love at first sight – I knew I was meant to be a child life specialist. My clinical training at Children’s National Medical Center and Inova Children’s Hospital was foundational, equipping me with the skills and compassion needed to navigate the complexities of pediatric care. Working across various settings, from outpatient clinics to intensive care units, I’ve had the privilege of making a difference in the lives of countless families, particularly in establishing child life services in the Level 3 NICU at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center. This work, while immensely fulfilling, brought to light the vast disparities in access to child life services across healthcare settings.

The challenges were numerous, from the emotional toll of working with critically ill children to the logistical difficulties of expanding child life programs within resource-constrained environments. Overcoming these obstacles required resilience, innovation, and a collaborative spirit. I learned the importance of adaptability, the power of empathy, and the value of interdisciplinary teamwork in achieving the best outcomes for children and their families.

What sets me apart is not just my experience, but my unwavering commitment to empowering parents and caregivers as central figures in their child’s medical journey. This commitment inspired the creation of Child Life On Call, a digital platform designed to amplify the reach of child life services and provide parents with the resources and support they need, whenever they need it.

I’m most proud of how Child Life On Call has transformed the way child life services are accessed and delivered, making a profound difference in the pediatric healthcare landscape. It’s a testament to the idea that with creativity, dedication, and a focus on family-centered care, we can overcome the barriers to accessing quality pediatric healthcare support.

The journey here wasn’t easy, but it was deeply rewarding. The challenges I faced were (and are) instrumental in shaping my approach to leadership and innovation in the child life field. They taught me that true change requires persistence, a willingness to listen and learn, and a commitment to putting families first.

I want the world to know that Child Life On Call is more than just a brand; it’s a movement towards a more inclusive, compassionate, and comprehensive approach to pediatric healthcare. Our story is one of resilience, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a world where every child and family facing medical challenges has the support they need to navigate their journey with strength and confidence.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in the outskirts of Austin, Texas close to a small city called Dripping Springs. The best part of living here is access to trails, green space and the Hill Country. Within a 10 mile radius of my home you’ll find restaurants with playground for families, breweries with beautiful landscapes, and tex-mex with the world’s best queso.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to recognize the families that have shared their stories on the Child Life On Call podcast over the past 200 episodes. Because of their courage to be vulnerable and share, other families feel less isolated and healthcare workers can learn new ways to support families like theirs.

Website: childlifeoncall.com

Instagram: instagram.com/childlifeoncall

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kfdonovan

Twitter: @childlifeoncall

Facebook: facebook.com/childlifeoncall

Youtube: youtube.com/childlifeoncall