Difficulties with social skills

Social Skills

Social skills encompass how we interact and communicate with others both verbally and non-verbally. 

Non-verbal Communication

• body language / gestures

• facial expressions

• eye contact

Verbal Communication

• words used

• tone of voice

• volume

Social skills are essential for building successful relationships and are important for supporting overall well-being and happiness. Children with autism often face challenges with social skills and social communication, and may need support to develop these skills. 

Signs your child may have difficulty with social skills

You may notice that your child may:

• say something inappropriate or act in an inappropriate way when talking 

• speak completely off-topic

• tell stories that do not make sense

• show a limited use of language in social contexts

• be unable to use or respond to ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’ or ‘thank you’

• have difficulty having conversations with others and making friends

What are the benefits of social skill groups?

Social skills groups help children learn how to interact more successfully with other children their age. They target a range of areas such as cooperation, joint attention, problem solving, and how to adapt to the challenges of different social situations through positive, fun, and supported social experiences. 

What next?

Acorn Autism has social groups for children and adolescents of various ages. If you are interested in current or future social groups, please contact Acorn Autism for more information.