Social Skills Services

Project DATA Consulting provides (1) Social Skills Groups for young children with disabilities focusing on increasing social and communication skills in a group format (2) Individualized Social Skills Training and (3) Play dates.

These services are described below. If you have any questions or you would like to arrange services and/or receive an admission packet, please contact Julie Ashmun at (206) 221-4482 or westhoff@u.washington.edu. Currently, we have rolling admissions for new groups and you will be contacted as to when there is a group for your child.

(1) Social Skills Groups

Social Skill Groups typically include four children and are facilitated by two adults. Groups may also be composed of a dyad, which is facilitated by one adult. Groups meet weekly for one hour at the Experimental Education Unit. Sessions run in a 10-week block, which includes a one-hour individualized social skills training session for families. Additional family sessions are available at cost.

Instruction is embedded within the context of age appropriate activities, which are interesting and motivating to the children. Facilitators use a variety of evidence-based educational procedures matched to the children’s learning profiles to increase social skills. Parents and teachers assist in the assessment process by filling out a social skills checklist. This is done every six months. Data are collected throughout sessions to identify progress and/or if changes are needed in the program. Groups run through the school year.

Examples of skills that may be addressed throughout the group include:

• Initiate to peers and respond to greetings from peers
• Conversational skills with peers • Identify and define problems
• Generate and carry out solutions by negotiating or compromising
• Join in an activity in an acceptable way • Invites others to play or join in
• Play cooperatively with peers
• Self-Regulation

Format of a typical session:

• Group meeting –Greeting and introduction of new skill(s)
• Buddy activities – Dyads participate in activities planned to facilitate interaction
• Group activity – Whole group participates in social activity
• Group meeting – Review skills, good-byes.

(2) Individualized Social Skills Training

A one-hour individualized social skills training session for families is included with each 10-block session of social skills groups. Consultation meetings will take place at the EEU. Families may choose to use that time which ever is most beneficial for them. Instruction is individualized to meet the needs of children and their families.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• How to play with your child
• How to facilitate social interactions between your child and their peers/siblings
• Self-Regulation
• Reinforcement systems Additional individualized social skills training can also be provided. Please refer to the “Family Consulting” section.

(3) Play Dates

A one-hour play date session will be conducted in the families’ home and lead by a member of the data consulting staff. Instruction and activities during play dates will be individualized to meet the needs of the child.
Play date sessions may include, but are not limited to:

• Conversational skills
• Cooperative play
• Being flexible
• Problem solving

SOCIAL SKILLS FEES:

1. Social Skills Groups: $500 for a block of 10 sessions, which includes a one-hour, individualized social skills training session for families. Note that families will be charged the total amount for sessions regardless of absences. Fees for social skills will be prepaid in blocks of 10 sessions. Families forfeit sessions if their child cannot attend for any reason. However, if a session is cancelled due to staff illness, the session will be made up. Families should specify on the admission packet if they’d like to be billed once or in two increments.

2. Individualized Social Skills Training: $100 for each additional one-hour individualized social skills training session for families

3. Play Dates: $100 for each one-hour play date session. See “Specific Fees” for short-term family consultation services to see additional fees that may be applied