We launched Schoolhouse Social in 2023 to address the need for fun and meaningful social experiences for neurodivergent children and teens in Melbourne.
Following extensive experience working with neurodivergent children in Australia and the UK, we set out to establish a practice dedicated to social development.
We’d noticed the gap between therapy and the everyday social world for kids. We wanted to create a space in-between, so children could practise social connection in a supported, low-pressure environment.
We created a specialist social development service – one that is designed to feel like an extracurricular activity, while delivering the benefits of therapy.
Our program provides naturalistic social experiences that subtly extend children’s capacity across social and emotional competencies – from simple things like turn taking, to more complex tasks like negotiating conflict (the real thing).
We offer online programs and 1:1 therapy. But, these exist to support our face-to-face group programs. This reflects our focus on relationships and community as foundational to wellbeing.
Our team brings together expertise in psychology, speech pathology, education, and neuroscience, ensuring a multidisciplinary perspective on the social experience of young people. The team also has a range of lived experience that informs our work.
Our overarching focus is a child’s sense of self
We believe skills are downstream of self-belief, and that children do best when they feel valued and competent. Our program aims to give them that experience.
In that way, we are not a traditional “social skills” program, but rather aim to help children achieve a broader sense of social wellbeing.
We care deeply about neuro-affirming practices. We think carefully about how our curriculum can help young people navigate the world while protecting and valuing their unique perspectives and needs. Our materials and methods are continually reviewed to stay aligned with evolving thinking in this area.
Supporting parents is central to the way we work
We’re also inspired by the quiet strength of the parents we work with. We recognise the unique challenges they face, and supporting them is central to our approach.
Neurodivergence shouldn’t be isolating, but for many school-age individuals, it can be. We believe that safe, structured social experiences help young people better understand themselves and the world around them. We want young people to feel confident in who they are and how they connect with others. Our groups are designed to build the skills, self-awareness, and community that make that possible.