Programs especially for or inclusive of special needs kids
PEERS Social Skills Program
Local provider of social skills groups and 1:1 therapy, using PEERS program developed at UCLA. Target demographic is tweens (6th, 7th, 8th graders) with ASD.
Kids with Dreams
Kids With Dreams is an organization of Stanford students dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with special needs. Here is the facebook page.
Open Doors Therapy
Specialized GROUP THERAPY services for teens with autism and their families. FREE WORKSHOPS to parents and teens with autism.
Bay Area Friendship Circle
Bay Area Friendship Circle creates inclusion and friendship for children and teens with special needs. We empower our teen volunteers to become engaged and caring community leaders. Some of their programs: Social Skills Club, Teen Hangout, buddy programs, Sunday Circle. Buddy programs and all other programs are open to everyone.
Morissey-Compton
“Morrissey-Compton’s ongoing skill-building groups take place at our Redwood City office (595 Price Avenue) and are for kids who struggle with issues such as making/ keeping friends, impulse control, anxiety, emotion regulation, and managing stress. There are typically three to five boys or girls in a group who are close in age and have similar challenges and goals”. -Morissey-Compton
Amicus
“Amicus Therapy Group is a social skills program which helps children master the art of making and sustaining friendships. We serve 1st thru 8th grade children in the Peninsula and South Bay areas. The children meet once weekly for 10 weeks, in small groups of 3 to 5 children, and are matched by age, gender, and social abilities. Our skill-building, psychoeducational groups are facilitated by experienced licensed therapists”. -Amicus
Social Strides
“Social skills, pragmatic language and perspective-taking are primary challenges for persons with Asperger’s Syndrome, AdHd, NLD and High Functioning Autism. Our program is designed to positively impact each young person’s ability to manage everyday interactions, conversations and relationships, to understand social and contextual cues, to make sense of jokes, sarcasm and figurative language and understand others’ perspectives, beliefs, desires and preferences”. -Social Strides
Abilities United
The Social Skills Development Group uses non-competitive games and cooperative activities to develop social, communication, problem solving, negotiation, emotional regulation, identification, and play skills. Groups are beneficial for all developmental levels. Classes are available for ages 4 to 18. Classes are grouped by age and developmental level. The child to staff ratio is 4:1.
Social Thinking
The Social Thinking Clinics, founded by Michelle Garcia Winner, are dedicated to developing and practicing innovative treatment approaches for assisting individuals with social learning disabilities, including students and adults with high-functioning autism, Asperger Syndrome, nonverbal learning disability and related diagnosed and undiagnosed social-communicative difficulties.
The Friends Program
The Friends Program is a therapeutic group program designed to address the developing needs of young children with Asperger’s Disorder and their families. The Friends Middle School Group is a therapeutic group for middle schoolers entering 6th – 8th grade.
The Talking Playhouse
A Place for Social Learning, Executive Function/Organizational Skills, Pragmatic Language & Written Expression.
Developmental Pathways
The Integrated Play Group® Program allows guided participation in play for children who encounter problems entering into imaginative and social play activities. This program supports children who have limited play skills (novice players) in mutually enjoyed play activities with the typical peers (expert players). The program offers natural opportunities for children to make friendships and learn through play.
BFF project by Parents Helping Parents
Meet ups where people with developmental disabilities find people with common interests. Age groups 12-17 and adults.