At Dandelion, we offer a range of social skills groups designed to help children grow their confidence, build meaningful connections, and practice real-time problem-solving with Peers, supported every step of the way by a therapist. If your child is beginning their journey in one of our groups, this guide will help you understand what to expect and how to support them along the way.
Starting the Process: Finding the Right Fit
When children first enter social skills groups, they typically begin in a beginner group for their age or slightly below. This allows therapists to observe your child’s strengths, areas for growth, and overall group readiness. Sometimes, children may also be intentionally paired with peers whose personalities or play styles naturally complement theirs. This thoughtful grouping helps connection and comfort grow organically.
The First Few Weeks: Nerves Are Normal
During the first week or two, it’s very common for children to feel nervous, shy, or unsure about what to expect. Therapists are there to meet each child where they are, helping them explore the space, join play at their own pace, and navigate these early warm-up moments. As they begin to settle in, steady progress in confidence, connection with peers, and responsiveness to feedback is a strong sign that the group is meeting their needs.
Ongoing Communication and Tracking Growth
Parents can expect regular email updates from their child’s therapist, as well as structured data on their child’s growth over time. There is no set length of time a child remains in a group. Some children thrive quickly, while others benefit from longer-term participation. Therapists will let you know when they feel your child is ready to graduate, but parent feedback about how your child is doing socially outside the group also plays an important role.
When the Fit Isn’t Quite Right (Yet)
For many children, finding the right fit is a process, and that’s completely normal. It can be difficult to predict how a child will do in any group setting until they are observed interacting with peers in real time.
A group change may be recommended if:
- Your child has difficulty engaging after several weeks
- Their behavior becomes disruptive in ways not related to social skill challenges
- They seem developmentally ahead of the peers in their current group
Sometimes the best next step is aging down to build foundational skills with younger peers. Other times, individual sessions may be recommended to work on behavioral challenges before returning to group. And if your child is showing advanced skills, they may be invited to join a more developed group for new challenges.
Safety and Group Expectations
To maintain a safe, productive learning environment:
- Intentional hitting, biting, or bullying results in immediate removal.
- All other social-related behaviors are supported therapeutically as long as they do not cause significant regression for the rest of the group.
Why Social Skills Groups Matter
Families often share that their child shows significant improvements outside of group, Including:
- More confidence with peers
- Increased playdate invitations
- Better conflict resolution
- Stronger communication and emotional awareness
An added bonus: the waiting room often becomes a supportive space for parents to connect, share strategies, and build community.
Join Our Community
If you’re interested in enrolling your child in a social skills group at Dandelion, reach out today to join our waitlist. We’d love to support you.