All children must have an initial consultation session before they become part of the FriendSmarts program. The initial consultation is usually scheduled during May and June for the fall session and during December and January for the spring session.

Consultations are scheduled for 30 minutes, and they are an important way for us to get to know some specific things about your child. This small sample of behavior tells us about your child’s levels of cognitive functioning, interests, fine motor development, language skills, verbal style, ability to follow directions and ability to participate in typical FriendSmarts activities. In addition, it allows both parent and child to see the facility, meet Juliet, voice concerns and have questions answered. A parent (or both) and the child attend the session together.

We suggest that you prepare your child for the session ahead of time. Preparation will depend upon your child’s age and temperament. General guidelines might include mention of friendship groups, learning new skills, making new friends and having fun with new friends. Older children can be told more specifically about the skills you might hope they would learn.

After the session, the therapist, parents, and child will be able to mutually decide if FriendSmarts will be an appropriate option. If FriendSmarts seems right, your child will be put on the list to be included in a group for the next session. Assignments will be made and letters mailed to parents in early August for fall and in late January for spring.

After you have made your initial consultation appointment, you can prepare by printing the form, filling it out, and  and bringing it in when you come for your consultation.

Additional information about our program can be found by reading about our staff.

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