What is the Job Market Outlook for Child Psychologist?
Jan 15, 2015 | 9:00 am
The job market for a child psychologist is actually very good. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the projected job growth is expected to grow by 12% with the median salary around $69,000 and they can make well over $100,000 depending on the location, education and experience that they hold.
A child psychologist is required to be licensed in order to practice. The American Psychology Association (APA) will be able to give more information as to the state and national requirements to become a licensed psychologist.
While many will choose to work in an office setting, others may chose to run a private practice and offer evening and weekend hours.
While there are opportunities at the master’s degree level, most positions will require a doctoral degree. The master’s degree level is a good level to gain the experience and land more entry-level positions while continuing on higher education.
Child psychologists will work with all ages from infancy to adolescence. They will deal with the parents as well as siblings and legal guardians to help them understand and deal with issues that the children in their family are also dealing with and what they might be going through.
There will always be mental, social and emotional issues to deal with, but the complexity is much deeper than that. The psychologist may come across children with self-esteem, confidence, and environmental influences, academic as well as learning disabilities and physical issues, but will also help children deal with issues they may have, if they are gifted individuals.
Child Psychologist Jobs and Goals
The children being treated are not the only ones that need the help from a psychologist. There are also the family members that are affected by the issues at hand. They too go through learning what the child is going through and how to help them cope and heal along with the child being treated. They must also ensure a continuing goal to ensure treatment plans are followed at home, and also help that child live to their full potential in life. This also includes perception, morals, and values and the child’s thought process.
There are also disorders that might need to be addressed such as eating disorders, cutting, substance abuse, trauma and many other issues that may come into play during treatment.
Not only our young people, everyone needs help at one time or another. We all worry about our children and their wellbeing and want them to grow up to be good citizens and be able to live to their full potential. Some parents know that there is something wrong, but have no idea who to call or how to help them, this is where a psychologist will come into play. The key is to ask for help. People in the psychology field will guide these people and help them get the help they need. It is always good to talk to your family doctor.