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Meet the Kids in our ABA Group Therapy

JULY 28, 2025

Guiding Your Family Through Our Programs

Every child learns in their own way. At Surrey Place, At Surrey Place, our Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Group Therapy and other autism grop programs are designed to meet children where they are, helping them build real-life skills in communication, social connection, and emotional regulation. Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking for the next step, we know choosing the right program can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re introducing you to some of the children in our programs to help you see where your child might fit and how, with the right support, they can grow, connect, and thrive.

See How Children Like Yours Are Thriving

Meet Alex, Bella, Chris, and Dana—four children who, like so many we work with, are learning to connect with others, express themselves, and feel more confident in everyday life.

Alex, Age 4

Alex is a bright and curious child who recently received an autism diagnosis. He loves sensory toys, music, and stacking blocks. While Alex enjoys being around familiar people, he often feels frustrated when he can’t communicate his needs. Alex mostly communicates by pointing, leading adults by the hand, or using a few simple sounds but they’re beginning to imitate single words and show interest in learning new ways to express themselves.

Recommended Programs for Children like Alex

  • Connect & Play Interdisciplinary Group, an engaging program where caregivers and children participate together in playful activities that support communication, social connection, and early learning. Led by a team of specialists from ABA, speech-language, and occupational therapy, this group helps children like Alex build confidence in expressing themselves while strengthening the caregiver-child bond through music, movement, and shared fun.

Bella, Age 7 

Bella is a joyful and imaginative girl who loves animals, bubbles, and listening to stories. Bella speaks in short sentences and can express basic needs independently but finds social interaction difficult. She often wants to play with other kids but isn’t sure how to join in. She often hovers nearby and feels overwhelmed by noisy or unpredictable situations.

Recommended Programs for Children like Bella

  • Your child may be suited for Social Stars, a program that helps children learn to be around peers and connect with others by practicing essential social skills such as greetings, turn-taking, sharing, and parallel play.
  • Early to Intermediate Communication can support in expanding language skills—teaching how to request new items or activities, respond to gestures, label objects, ask for help, and answer basic questions using single words or short phrases.

Chris, Age 10 

Chris is a bright and imaginative boy who loves trains and dinosaurs. He speaks in full sentences and has a strong vocabulary, often sharing detailed facts about his favourite topics. While Chris is eager to connect with others, his conversations tend to be one-sided or jump between topics. He may interrupt, miss non-verbal cues, or dominate discussions without realizing it. Chris wants to make friends but finds it hard to stay on topic and recognize when others are confused or disinterested.

Recommended ABA Programs for Children like Chris

  • Try Conversation Club, where your child can practice starting and maintaining conversations, taking turns speaking, staying on topic, and reading important social cues like facial expressions or tone of voice.
  • They may also benefit from Take a Deep Breath, a program that teaches children how to identify their emotions, calm their bodies, and manage stress in social situations—helping them navigate conversations and peer interactions with more confidence.

Dana, Age 15 

Dana is a thoughtful and articulate teen who excels in school but often feels lost in peer interactions. She communicates well with adults but finds it hard to deal with subtle social dynamics like teasing, peer pressure, or sarcasm. Dana wants to make real friendships and is learning how to advocate for herself while reading between the lines of teen conversation.

Recommended ABA Programs for Teens Like Dana

  • Your teen may thrive in Working Together, a group that supports teens in building perspective-taking skills, learning to collaborate with others, and practicing negotiation and teamwork in both social and academic settings.
  • Another great fit is PEERS, a social skills program where participants learn how to make and maintain friendships, use humour appropriately, and respond effectively to teasing, gossip and peer pressure

Not Quite Ready for a Group? That’s Okay.

Some children may benefit from individualized support before joining a group. These 1-to-1 services help build key skills and confidence in a personalized, supportive setting.

  • Full Day ABA (IBI) provides intensive, one-to-one Applied Behaviour Analysis designed to support children with high needs across multiple areas of development. This comprehensive program focuses on building foundational skills in communication, behaviour, self-care, and is more tailored to each child’s unique profile. 
  • 1-to-1 Focused Behavioural Intervention offers customizable, short-term ABA support that targets one or two specific goals. Whether it’s helping your child learn to brush their teeth, sit through meals, or manage transitions, this program is designed to meet immediate priorities with personalized strategies.

Finding the Right ABA Group Program for Your Child

Every child develops at their own pace. That’s why Surrey Place offers a wide range of ABA Group Therapy programs that are flexible and tailored to meet your child’s current strengths while building skills that matter most in everyday life.

Why Families Trust Surrey Place

  • Small Group Sizes: We maintain small group sizes to ensure personalized attention for each child while maximizing the benefits of group dynamics. 
  • Expert-Led Group Sessions: Our group therapies are facilitated by highly trained professionals who specialize in ABA Therapy and have extensive experience working with children and teens across the autism spectrum. 
  • Focus on Real-Life Skills: Programs emphasize practical skills such as managing peer pressure, handling disagreements, and navigating social complexities, preparing your child for everyday situations. 
  • Peer Interaction and Socialization: Group settings provide a unique opportunity for your child to interact with peers, fostering essential social skills like communication, cooperation, and empathy in a real-world environment. 
  • Proven Success Stories: Many families have seen significant improvements in their children’s social abilities and confidence through our group therapy programs. 

Families trust us because they see real changes at home, at school, and in their child’s confidence.

Dr. Nancy Freeman, Director, Autism Behavioural Services

Ready to Empower Your Child’s Progress?

Whether you’re looking for a first step or next step, our ABA Group Therapy programs are here to help your child gain skills, confidence, and independence.

Explore our ABA group programs and register today

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By 2 months

Has your baby had their hearing screened? YES NO

By 6 months

Does the child?

Startle in response to loud noises? YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from? YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)? YES NO
Watch your face as you talk? YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs? YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh YES NO

By 9 months

Does the child?

Respond to their name? YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door? YES NO
Understand being told no? YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)? YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)? YES NO
Enjoy being around people? YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh? YES NO

By 12 months

Does the child?

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)? YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it? YES NO
Consistently use three to five words? YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)? YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes? YES NO
Bring you toys to show you? YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise? YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)? YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books? YES NO

By 18 months

Does the child?

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on? YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked? YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently? YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)? YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)? YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)? YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you? YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger? YES NO

By 2 years

Does the child?

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)? YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words? YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)? YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)? YES NO
Enjoy being around other children? YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words? YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time? YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort? YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 30 months

Does the child?

Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)? YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)? YES NO
Use over 350 words? YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall? YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys? YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad? YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)? YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words? YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)? YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)? YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories? YES NO

By 3 years

Does the child?

Understand who, what, where and why questions? YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words? YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)? YES NO
Tell simple stories? YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates? YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)? YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time? YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)? YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 4 years

Does the child?

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)? YES NO
Use adult type grammar? YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end? YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children? YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play? YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time? YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)? YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)? YES NO