The Friend Ship Orange County

I have a FB group for parents of children on the spectrum. One of the parents shared that she called for her child, and was told they could not offer social skills to her child because they were non-verbal. This is really sad to hear if this is in fact true. There are ways around this, and another group could have been put together for children with devices who are not as verbal.
Oct 28th, 2023

Jul 24th, 2023

My daughter has been working with the team at the Friend Ship for nearly three years now, and they have had a tremendous impact on her understanding of social cues and self-regulation strategies. Of all the services we receive, I'd say that teachers Alison and Valerie have been the most valuable to her progress engaging with peers, tolerating frustration, and working through calming choices. They present information to her in a way that is caring AND clear, and narrate tougher interactions so she can better understand actions and results. Over time, this has made friendships, playdates, and classroom settings less stressful for her. Our whole family feels safe with this organization; they are non-judgmental, encouraging, and meet our kid where she is at. They also go above and beyond to help parents understand how they can help support their kiddos' needs, and regularly take time to offer guidance via emails, sit in on IEP meetings, or bounce ideas off of colleagues to make sure their program students get the most care and support possible. I cannot say enough great things about this business, and would encourage anyone that is on the fence about social skills playgroups to start here.
Feb 29th, 2024