Autism Services – Children’s Friendship Program

Children’s Friendship Program helps elementary school children who have trouble making or keeping friends through skill building group sessions led by experienced Autism Services Therapists.

During each small-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, caregivers learn how to support their child’s social development, coaching them as they practice their skills in the real world.

Your child will learn these 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

A Behaviour Plan will be created for each participant that will outline their learning goals for the group as well as a progress review to summarize outcomes.

Who is Eligible for Children’s Friendship Program?

This group is currently being offered to children 10-13 years of age, with an ASD diagnosis. Participants must be able to communicate in full sentences and not engage in elopement or aggressive behaviour. Participants must be interested and willing to participate and learn the outlined skills.

Commitment to Children’s Friendship Program:

Children will be asked to attend 12 separate 1.5-hour in-person sessions every week for a total of 18 hours focusing on:

• Learning new social skills,
• Strengthening existing skills
• Building positive relationships with others

Caregivers will be asked to attend 12 separate half hour virtual sessions every week for a total of 6 hours focusing on:

• Building parent/caregiver capacity to support their child/youth through the social development process

Group Dates: September 21- December 7 2023

• Caregiver Orientation: Thursday, September 14 from 6:15-7:15 (virtually via Microsoft Teams)
• Caregiver Sessions: Wednesdays from September 19 to December 6 from 7:30pm-8:00pm (virtually via Microsoft Teams)
• Children: Thursdays from September 21 to December 7 from 6:15pm—7:45pm (in-person at Maltby Centre-Hyperion)

Registration: Please email [email protected]. Intake applications will be distributed to all interested parties at a later date, to help determine eligibility and appropriateness for this group. If this group is not the best fit for you and your teen, you will be contacted further with a rationale, and other possible options.

Cost: $1,000.00 Payment must be received in full prior to the start of group.

Location: Maltby Centre , Suite 100-31 Hyperion Court, Kingston, ON K7K 7G3

Requirements: To access this group, your child/youth requires an ASD diagnosis and must be within the identified age range.

Please note this group is only offered in English.