Esperanza – Providing World Class Speech and Occupational Therapy

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Social Skills Programme

At Esperanza Speech and Occupational Therapy Centre in Dubai, our CONNECT Programme is a thoughtfully developed social skills initiative tailored to support children in building meaningful social connections. Created in-house at our Hope Labs, CONNECT is uniquely designed to reflect the cultural nuances of our community, while drawing from internationally recognised frameworks such as Social Thinking®.

This evidence-based programme supports children—including those with autism and other developmental needs—in enhancing their social understanding, emotional awareness, and communication skills. Through CONNECT, we empower children with practical tools to interpret social cues, manage emotions, and engage confidently in everyday social situations.

Common Social Challenges Addressed in the CONNECT Program

Our CONNECT Program is specifically created for children who find some aspects of social interaction and communication a bit tricky. This can show up in a few different ways:

  • They might have a hard time reading those subtle social signals that many of us take for granted – things like what someone’s face is saying, how they’re holding their body, or the tone of their voice. These cues are so important for understanding each other and getting along.
  • They might also find it challenging to know how to react in different social situations. What’s expected or the “right” thing to do can be confusing, sometimes leading to misunderstandings or feeling left out.
  • Making and keeping friends can also be tough. For many children with autism or other developmental journeys, it can be hard to start conversations, understand how others are feeling, or find common interests that help friendships grow.
  • Finally, they might just need some extra support in learning the ins and outs of social communication – things like understanding how conversations work, expressing their feelings in a way that makes sense to others, or just taking turns and engaging in back-and-forth interactions.
Evidence-Based Treatment Methods in the CONNECT Program

The Social Skills Therapy programme, CONNECT integrates the latest evidence-based practices to enhance social cognition and communication skills. Our tailored approach is designed to address the unique needs of each child, utilizing scientifically supported techniques and strategies to achieve the best outcomes.

1. Comprehensive Social Assessment

The program begins with a thorough social assessment to evaluate the child’s social cognition, perspective-taking abilities, and social communication skills. This assessment helps us pinpoint the child’s strengths and areas requiring support, allowing us to develop a customized early intervention plan.

2. Individualized Intervention Plans

Based on the assessment results, we create a personalized intervention plan for each child. These plans focus on teaching core social thinking concepts, such as:

  • Understanding others’ thoughts and emotions
  • Developing perspective-taking skills
  • Problem-solving in social situations
  • Improving emotional regulation during interactions These individualized plans ensure that therapy is both adaptable and focused on the child’s unique needs, helping children with autism or developmental challenges make meaningful social progress.

3. Skill-Building Activities

The CONNECT Programme incorporates engaging, interactive skill-building activities designed to improve:

  • Expressive and receptive communication
  • The ability to initiate and maintain conversations
  • Emotional regulation and coping strategies for managing anxiety and frustration in social settings Our occupational therapy team uses sensory integration and motor planning techniques to address any additional challenges, providing a well-rounded developmental experience for the child.

4. Group Therapy Sessions

In addition to individualized therapy, children participate in group therapy sessions where they practice social skills in a supportive, real-world setting. These structured sessions help children:

  • Interact with peers in a safe, guided environment
  • Practice turn-taking, sharing, and collaborative problem-solving
  • Learn to navigate social dynamics and build confidence in group settings Group therapy reinforces skills learned in individual sessions, allowing children to practice them in everyday social situations.

5. Parent and Caregiver Training

We recognize that families play an essential role in supporting the child’s social development.

The CONNECT Program includes parent and caregiver training, providing families with the knowledge and tools to reinforce social thinking concepts at home and in daily activities. Through this training, parents will learn:

  • How to support social communication at home
  • Effective strategies for fostering social skills in real-world situations
  • Techniques for promoting emotional regulation and coping mechanisms for social challenges
 
Why Choose Esperanza’s CONNECT Program in Dubai, UAE?

The CONNECT Program at Esperanza is a specialized group therapy initiative aimed at enhancing overall social development in children. Unlike traditional social communication programs, our approach focuses on building a comprehensive set of social skills that empower children to understand and effectively navigate everyday social interactions. The program supports children across a wide range of ages, from preschool through middle school, helping them cultivate positive peer relationships and develop essential life skills.

Ideal Candidates for the Program
  • Children who need help refining their pragmatic language skills to match their age level
  • Those who struggle with learning how to collaborate and interact appropriately with peers
  • Children who have good verbal abilities, as the program is designed for those who can participate in conversations
  • Children who are able to engage in group activities without frequent sensory breaks
  • Children with Cochlear Implants Needing Social Skills Training: For children with cochlear implants who require social skills development, we offer specialized Cochlear Implant Speech Therapy Programs to support their communication needs.

The CONNECT Program is most beneficial for children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), provided they have foundational language skills within normal limits.

Program Groups
  • “The Star Sprouts” (Preschool, ages 3-6)
  • “The Rising Stars” (Elementary, ages 6-11)
  • “The Stellar Teens” (Middle School, ages 11-13)

Our CONNECT Program focuses on helping children develop key social skills, including:

  • Learning just the right way to say hello and introduce themselves to others.
  • Becoming better at understanding and using body language – those unspoken signals we all send.
  • Getting the hang of taking turns when talking and playing games with others.
  • Learning how to keep a conversation going and knowing what to say when the topic changes.
  • Becoming more aware of those little social clues that tell us how to act in different situations.
Additional Program Information
  • The CONNECT Program is led by a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and an Occupational Therapist with a group size of 1:5
  • Group placements are determined by age and specific needs, with children placed according to our waiting list

 

At Esperanza, our CONNECT Program provides more than just social communication skills. It helps children develop a well-rounded set of social competencies, ensuring they build self-confidence and foster strong, positive relationships in all aspects of their lives.

Curious about how our CONNECT Programme can help your child build stronger social connections? Give us a call or drop us a WhatsApp message at +971 55 524 1094, and we’ll happily arrange a free consultation. We’re here to support your child’s journey toward greater social confidence, every step of the way.