Supports we use · part of our before-school program
PEERS® for Preschoolers.
PEERS® for Preschoolers is a parent-delivered social skills program for preschoolers. It runs inside The Playmakers, our before-school program.
What we believe
We believe the person who needs the skills is the one who is there at four o'clock on a Tuesday.
Most providers believe the child is the one who needs to be in the room. The thinking is that if a child is struggling to play with others, the child needs the intervention: a clinic session, a playgroup with a therapist, a support worker at kinder. The parent drops them off and waits outside, or watches from the side. It's a natural assumption, because the difficulty shows up in the child, and therapy for young children has traditionally been delivered to the child. It also looks like the most direct way to help.
In reality, a preschooler’s play is happening at home, at the park and at kinder, in short moments nobody can schedule, and a clinician isn’t there for any of them. An hour a week stays an hour a week. The person who is present for all the other moments is the parent, and they’re usually the one person nobody has trained, so the moments keep passing unused.
That’s why we teach the parent instead. You learn the approach, you use it in the moment it is needed, and we assess your child before and after so the change is measured in them rather than assumed from your attendance.
What changes
From playing beside, to playing with.
What it covers
The foundations of play, coached where it happens.
- Greeting friends and asking them to play
- Joining play that is already going
- Sharing and taking turns
- Being a good sport
- Calming down when play gets hard
- Moving on to a new activity
- Play dates that go well
Who it's for
Built for parents.
Who it's for
Parents of preschool-aged autistic and neurodivergent children who play near other children rather than with them, and who want something to do about it that works in everyday moments.
Where it may not be the right start
If a family needs something different first, such as support with a major change, we'll say so on the call and talk about what fits.
Where it fits
Part of our before-school program.
PEERS® for Preschoolers sits inside The Playmakers, alongside holiday activities, LiftOff for the move into Prep, and functional assessment.
Common questions
What people usually ask.
Anything else, ask us on the call.
Does my child attend the sessions?
The sessions are for you. Your child is assessed before the program starts and again at the end, so we can see what changed in them.
Is it online?
Yes. The program runs online, so it works wherever you live.
What if I'm not sure I'll get it right?
That's what the program is for. You learn a method, practise it, and get guidance on how it's going.
Take the first step
Let's talk about your child.
Request a call back and one of our team will ring you at a time that suits. It takes about fifteen minutes, it's free, and you don't need anything worked out before we speak.