Foundational Family Services

In this workshop you will learn practical strategies to teach your child daily living skills such as handwashing, brushing teeth, getting dressed or taking a shower.

Strategies include learning how to break down a skill into smaller parts and how to use motivation to encourage success.

Children’s Friendship Training is an evidence based interactive program delivered in module sessions in which children and families develop and practice social skills necessary to initiate and maintain meaningful peer relationships.

Through ten modules, children will learn to make phone calls, host play-dates, maintain play, share in the interests of others’, and respond appropriately to bullying/teasing. During these sessions, families will learn how to support their children in the exciting new world of social opportunities.

This hands on workshop will introduce caregivers to effective visual strategies that will assist in promoting positive behaviours.

Participants will walk away with the knowledge and rationale for using visual supports, describe one of the following visual supports: visual schedule, a first & then board or a visual task analysis. Participants will have an opportunity to create an individualized visual to help support their child/ youth in the home environment.

*Please note that this in-person workshop involves two 2-hour sessions across two days.

This workshop will introduce caregivers to effective visual strategies that will assist in promoting positive behaviours. Participants will walk away with the knowledge and rationale for using visual supports, describe one of the following visual supports: visual schedule, a first & then board or a visual task analysis. Furthermore, caregivers will have an opportunity to consult with a Therapist virtually for a one-hour follow up to support implementation of visual in the home setting

This workshop series will provide caregivers with introductory and foundational information about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in addition to an understanding of strategies and behaviour. There are 5 sessions within the Foundation Caregiver Workshop series (Autism, ABA, Pairing, Teaching Skills & Reinforcement, Behaviour & Functional Behaviour Assessment, Antecedent Strategies & Visuals, Replacement Behaviours & Consequence Strategies

Reinforcement is an integral element of ABA, and when used effectively, can dramatically increase skills in individuals diagnosed with ASD. Throughout this 2-hour workshop, participants will explore the various types, scheduled and effects of positive reinforcement.

This workshop will discuss strategies that are proven effective when teaching toileting skills. Participants will gain knowledge of steps of toilet training, teaching strategies to implement during the toilet training journey. This is accompanied by a one-hour follow up consultation to support implementation into the home setting.

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a method of functional communication for anyone with a language disorder, including autism. PECS can be taught by professionals and parents, in all everyday settings. The PECS is based on the motivation of the chils and aims to bring about spontaneous and autonomous communication. Its teaching is rigorous and goes through 6 learning phases. It can improves the quality of life of the person and his family to the extent that it allows effective communication. This workshop focuses on learning the 6 phases of PECS as well as the assessment and intervention of ABA strategies. Each participant will have access to 3 consultations to support implementation and the continuation through next Phases of PECS.

SibShops are events which provide 8-13 year old brothers and sisters of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) an opportunity to meet other siblings in a relaxed, recreational setting.

SibShops intersperse information and discussion activities with high-energy games, new friends, and cooking and craft activities to get children talking, laughing, and learning. An introduction to ASD will be included to provide participants with a better understanding of the disorder and how it may impact their sibling.

Want to get around the city, but can’t drive? Join our group to learn how to take the bus around Sudbury!

We will check out different places around the city, learning how to safely take public transit and how it may help you get to places you’re interested in. We will talk about how to make the experience less stressful for you (or your parents) and how you’d be most comfortable exploring your community.

Fine print for caregivers:
Youth will travel around the city with a group of up to 4 other peers with 2-3 facilitators. Prior to boarding the bus, safety rules and riding etiquette will be reviewed. Youth will learn how to look up bus schedules online or on their phones and how the GOVA app works. Support will be faded across the 6 sessions so that they learn to use the Sudbury bus system to whatever level of independence they are able to demonstrate.

This social skills group will aim to teach important social skills for high school learners transitioning to adulthood. It will provide the learners with an opportunity to practice skills such as conversing and cooperating with others, building, and maintaining friendships with their peers as well as coping with peer rejection and managing social conflict. Through a variety of facilitated group activities and take-home assignments, learners will have the opportunity to explore their current repertoire of social skills and identify their challenges in social settings. This social skills group includes many strategies for helping teens develop the necessary skills for coping with the demands and expectations of transitioning to adulthood.

This social skills group will aim to teach important social skills to early high school level learners. This skills group will focus on providing learners with an opportunity to enhance their conversation skills, explore their social skills, practice managing peer related conflict, as well as practice making and building strong friendships with peers. Through a variety of facilitated group activities, games and take-home assignments, learners will be provided with an opportunity to make peer connections, build confidence in their social abilities, and enhance their self-awareness skills.

This social skills group will aim to teach important social skills to school aged learners at the intermediate school level. This skills group will focus on providing learners with an opportunity to explore their social strengths and identify their social challenges as they prepare for transition to high school. Through a variety of facilitated group activities, games and take-home assignments, learners will have the opportunity to work on their conversation skills, friendship building skills as well as learning to develop strategies for managing conflict with peers and coping with other peer related challenges.

This skills group will aim to teach school aged learners’ important social skill for engaging in social play and social interactions, building friendships with peers, as well as managing emotions in challenging social settings. Learners will have the opportunity to identify their social strengths as well as an opportunity to practice play skills, language skills, self-regulation skills and school readiness skills. This social skills group will provide a variety of facilitated activities that will encourage learners to connect with peers, enhance their self-awareness skills and practice problem solving and cooperation skills.

This skills group will aim to teach preschool and kindergarten learners prosocial skills for transitioning into the demands of a school setting. Learners will focus on school readiness skills, play skills, as well as self-awareness skills. This social skills group will provide learners with an opportunity to explore and practice social skills such as asking for help, greeting peers, turn taking, asking peers to play, and joining in on other peers’ play. Through a variety of facilitated activities, this group will also help learners identify and practice skills needed for managing their emotions and learning to cooperate with other peers.

This series is recommended for families who have recently received a diagnosis for their child. In the midst of receiving a diagnosis, families will navigate through a lot of information and make decisions about next steps. This series offers 3 workshops, along with 3, 1:1, 30-minute consultations with a BCBA.

Workshop 1 will provide an overview of various services recommended to families with a child with ASD.

Workshop 2 will provide an overview of Autism and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and why ABA is well suited to address ASD. If seeking ABA based services, this information is key for knowing what to look for in providers and how caregiver involvement is key to helping children reach their full potential.

Workshop 3 will review things to do as you wait for service that will aid in developing skills and routines in the home to maximize learning from the get-go. The initial consultation is aimed at gathering information that will be pertinent to focusing the workshops on the audience attending, with follow up consultations occurring after Workshop 3 which will focus on implementing ABA strategies in the home with coaching from a BCBA.

This workshop aims to outline strategies on reducing transition related problem behaviours. We will review how to establish positive rapport, specific steps to cue your child of upcoming changes, ways to prevent and deescalate for deciding when the advance notice is viable with the aim of reducing problem behaviors as a whole.

This group will run for 8 weeks with a facilitator mediating the discussions on various topics. Aimed at getting youths to socialize, providing platforms to build social skills, and using technology to do it!

This workshop has 2 group sessions across 2 months with 3 follow up individual sessions with a BCBA.

Session 1: Review ABA strategies on teaching self-help skills
Session 2: Identify and develop a self-help goal

Consultation sessions: Follow up progress with a BCBA and goal monitoring

GJCC Skill Building Consultative ABA services (using the techniques and strategies of Applied Behaviour Analysis – ABA) can help individuals learn new skills. Individualized plans will include 1 general ABA Skill Building Goal.

This service can be delivered virtual or in-person at home, daycare or school with consent

Some examples are:
• Improving social skills, taking turns
• Following a schedule with the support of visuals
• Using reinforcement to teach new skills
• Creating social narrative to support a social situation
• Strategies for managing strong emotions

You will guide the process.
Together, we will talk about your needs, goal, and what you and your child/youth need support with. Do not worry; we will help give clinical recommendations if you do not know where to start.
When you have selected the goals, we will observe your child/youth to see his/her current strengths and needs. One of our Behaviour Therapists will create an individualized 8-week plan for your child/youth based on your goals.
Your child/youth will be working 1-1 with a Behavioural Therapist to deliver the plan.
There are also opportunities for caregiver mediated coaching throughout the 8 week sessions.

All services can be delivered virtually or in-person.

Triple P - Stepping Stones is a parent education course that is ideal for caregiver’s with children aged 2-12.
Course Content:

Session 1: Positive parenting
This session provides parents with an introduction to positive parenting, causes of challenging behaviour, setting goals for change, and how to keep track of children’s behaviour.

Session 2: Promoting children’s development
During this session, the practitioner discusses how to develop positive relationships with children and how to encourage desirable behaviour.

Session 3: Teaching new skills and behaviours
This session teaches parents a range of techniques to teach their children a range of skills within the domains of communication, problem-solving, self-care, and self-regulation.

Session 4: Managing misbehavior and parenting routines
During this session, the practitioner offers strategies to assist parents with managing challenging behaviour. Parents will also learn to develop parenting routines to encourage children to follow instructions.

Session 5: Planning ahead
This session covers family survival tips, identifying high-risk situations, and developing planning ahead routines to implement over the next few weeks. Parents also schedule and prepare for the telephone or in-person consultations.

Session 6-8: Implementing parenting routines 1-3 (Phone or in-person consultations)
The sessions begin with the practitioner providing assessment feedback to parents and noting progress that has been made. Then the sessions are designed to assist parents in implementing behaviour change strategies in high-risk home and community situations (e.g. traveling on public transport, haircuts, therapy sessions). The practitioner uses the self-regulatory feedback model to help parents identify goals for change and a problem-solving approach is used to assist parents to fine-tune any areas of difficulty.

Session 9: Program close
Parents return for a final group session to review progress, look at ways to maintain changes, problem solve for the future, and to bring closure to the program.

PEERS is a 14-week evidence-based social skills program delivered virtually for students aged 12 – 17. There is a weekly mandatory parent session.

Topics include:
• How to use appropriate conversational skills
• How to find common interests by trading information
• How to appropriately use humour
• How to handle rejection, teasing and bullying
• How to handle rumours and gossip
• How to be a good host during get-togethers
• How to make phone calls to friends
• How to be a good sport
• How to handle arguments and disagreements
• How to change a bad reputation (by investigating one new extracurricular activity)

Get job ready! Job P.R.E.P. is for teens ages 14-17, who are looking to develop skills to help them find and maintain a job.

The 10 session individualized program will work on skills such as, resumes, interview skills, public vs private, managing stress & anxiety, hidden social rules, and much more!

Sessions will include 30 minutes of information about impacts of ASD, as well as 30 minutes for discussion and questions. This group is well suited for individuals who are aware of their diagnosis and are interested in learning more about ASD while connecting with other teens with ASD.

Conversation Cues is a 12-week evidence-based social skills program delivered virtually for students aged 9 – 17.

Topics include:
- When to start a conversation
- How to start a conversation
- Take turns appropriately
- Maintain conversation with peers
- Talk on topic
- Identifies disbelief & responds appropriately
- Identifies confused, bored, not interested vs. interested & responds appropriately
- Learn how to identify your cues
- How to end a conversation