Social Skills Groups
For children and young people who are home-educated or experiencing school refusal, finding consistent, safe opportunities for peer interaction can be one of the hardest gaps to fill. Our Social Skills Groups offer a structured, therapist-led space where children can build relationships, develop social and regulation skills, and rediscover confidence in being part of a group, all at their own pace.
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Led by specialist Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists, our groups are designed specifically for children who are not currently in mainstream education, including those who are home-educated, electively home-educated, or experiencing EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance).
Who The Groups Are For
Please note: Our Social Skills Groups are available exclusively to children and young people who are existing Hopscotch clients, seen by our team on a regular basis. This ensures continuity of care, allows our therapists to apply a deep clinical understanding of each child to the group setting, and protects the quality and safety of the group environment. If your child is not yet a Hopscotch client, please begin with one of our clinical assessments or therapy services, your lead therapist will let you know when a group would be a good fit. Click here to learn more about our assessments.
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For families already with us, our groups welcome any child or young person aged 5 to 18 who is currently outside of mainstream education and would benefit from structured peer interaction. This includes:
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Children who are home-educated by choice
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Children experiencing school refusal or EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance)
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Children whose neurodivergent profile (autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, anxiety) has made mainstream group settings difficult
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Children between school placements or transitioning back to education
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Young people in alternative provision seeking additional social opportunities.
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No diagnosis is required. Children of all backgrounds and presentations are welcome, provided they are already engaged with our wider clinical services.
Two Streams to Suit Where Your Child Is Now
Connect Stream: Pressure-Free
This stream particularly benefits children currently struggling with group settings, school, or anxiety. The focus is on connection, regulation, and trust. There are no targets, no expectations of school return, and no homework. The only aim is for your child to feel safe enough to come back next week.
Bridge Stream: Goal-Oriented
This stream particularly benefits children who are home-educated by choice, or working toward a return to education or new social settings. Sessions are more structured, with clear social skill-building goals, parent involvement, and practical strategies your child can transfer to other parts of their life.
Children can move between streams as they progress, and our therapists will help you decide which is the right fit during an initial intake session.
Age Groups
We run parallel groups across four age bands, so children are always with peers at a similar developmental stage:
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Sprouts (5-7): Early primary, co-led by Occupational Therapists and Speech & Language Therapists
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Explorers (8-11): Late primary, co-led or single-discipline depending on group focus
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Connect (11-14): Early secondary
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Bridge (14-18): Late secondary and post-16
Group sizes are kept deliberately small (4 to 6 children) to ensure every child is closely supported and the group remains a safe, manageable space.
What Sessions Look Like
Sessions follow a predictable, sensory-aware structure: a calm arrival and check-in, a warm-up activity, a short focused teaching moment, a structured peer activity to practise the skill, and a calming reflection and goodbye routine. Visual schedules, regulation tools, and quiet spaces are available throughout.
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Depending on the group, sessions are led by a Speech and Language Therapist, an Occupational Therapist, or both working together. The therapy focus is woven into the activities: children are playing, talking, and building friendships, not being 'taught' in a classroom sense.
Formats Available
Termly Groups: Eight weekly sessions per term (Autumn, Spring, Summer), 60-75 minutes per session. The same group of children meets each week, building relationships and trust across the term.
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Holiday Intensives: Five-day programmes during school holidays (October half-term, February half-term, Easter, and summer holidays), with 2-3 hours per day. Particularly useful for families who cannot commit to weekly attendance, or as a gentle 'taster' before joining a term group.
What Social Skills Groups Build
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Conversation skills, turn-taking, and group interaction
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Reading social cues, body language, and emotion
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Self-regulation and managing anxiety in social settings
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Sensory needs in group environments
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Friendship-making, keeping, and managing fallouts
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Conflict resolution and self-advocacy
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Executive functioning, flexibility, and problem-solving
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Confidence, identity, and self-esteem
How to Join
Every child begins with an initial intake assessment with one of our lead therapists. This is a full clinical assessment, not a quick consultation: our therapists carry out a thorough evaluation to build a detailed sensory profile for your child, alongside understanding their communication, regulation, and social profile. This information allows us to place your child in the right group and stream, and ensures our therapists can support them effectively from the very first session.
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The sensory profile generated during intake is specific to our Social Skills Groups and is not offered as a stand-alone assessment. If you are looking for a stand-alone sensory profile or sensory processing assessment, please see Our Assessments.
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Following intake, your child can join the next available group cohort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are groups only open to existing Hopscotch clients?
Our Social Skills Groups are deliberately small and tightly supported. Working only with children we already know clinically ensures we can apply a full understanding of each child's sensory, communication, and regulation profile to the group setting, which protects both the individual child and the group dynamic.
How long do we need to have been with Hopscotch before joining a group?
There's no fixed minimum, but children typically join a group after one or more clinical assessments or therapy blocks with us, where our therapists have had the opportunity to build a working understanding of their needs. Your lead therapist will let you know when a group would be a good fit.
My child can't speak in groups. Can they still join?
Yes. We welcome children with selective mutism, social anxiety, and limited spoken language. Our Connect stream is designed to be communication-light, and we use visual supports, regulation tools, and non-verbal participation routes throughout.
Does my child need a diagnosis to join?
No. Children of all profiles are welcome, with or without formal diagnoses, provided they are already engaged with our wider clinical services.
Can siblings join together?
We generally recommend siblings join different groups so each child has their own social space. We're happy to discuss exceptions during intake.
What if my child finds the first session overwhelming?
That's expected for many children. Our therapists work closely with you and your child to adjust pace, expectations, and support. No child is ever expected to perform or participate beyond their comfort.