The Children’s Friendship Program helps neuro-diverse elementary school children (who may have Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or similar neurodevelopmental disorders) who have trouble making or keeping friends.
Your child is likely to benefit from the program if he or she:
- Has no or few friends
- Is bossy, controlling, or aggressive with other children
- Is shy, reserved, or inattentive with other children
- Has trouble sharing or resolving conflicts
- Is ignored, rejected, or bullied by other children
- Is rarely invited to birthday parties or play dates
During each group session, children learn a new skill and practice it with other group members. Children are given weekly assignments to help them apply the new skills in their daily lives. Meanwhile, in the parent group, parents learn how to support their children’s social development, coaching them as they practice their skills in the real world.
The group will focus on the following skills:
- Making a good first impression
- Conversing with other children
- Finding common interests with other children
- Playing fairly and being gracious when winning or losing
- Resolving conflicts
- Handling rejection, teasing, and bullying
- Joining other children at play
- Being a good host on a playdate
- Showing respect to other children and adults
Eligibility
Participants must:
- Be a neuro-diverse youth in grades 2-5
- Have a caregiver available to attend concurrent parent sessions
- Benefit from explicit direction in the program topics
- Be able to manage in a group environment with 4-8 participants (adult-to-child ratio is 1:4)
- Have a reliable method of communication
- Not engage in harmful behaviour to self or others
- Respect a closed door.
Details
When: Every Tuesday from April 22 to June 24, 2025.
Where: Grandview Kids Ajax Headquarters (1461 Harwood Avenue North, Ajax, L1T 0R3).
The child and parent groups will run simultaneously and come together at the end of each session. Workshop development and program supervision are overseen by Grandview Kids staff, including Autism Therapy Assistants, Recreation Therapists and Board Certified Behaviour Analysts.
This program is non-refundable.
Program fees are eligible for OAP Core Clinical Services budgets.
