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Fun and Supportive Groups for Children to Thrive

Learning Links’ weekly small group social skills programs help children to build important skills and confidence they need now and for a bright and fulfilling future.

The programs provide evidence-based support for children aged 4-12 years with social, emotional and communication challenges. Children learn to identify their emotions, regulate their behaviour, cope with stress and anxiety, and make friends.

NDIS funding can be used to participate in the programs.

Brick-by-Brick™ Social Skills Program

Brick-by-Brick™ is a small group social skills program, proven to help children aged 5-12 years to improve and practice their social interaction and communication skills.

Using the principles of Play Therapy, the program guides and encourages children to socialise with their peers and have fun in a supportive and understanding environment, while participating in LEGO® building projects and learning important life skills like sharing, waiting, turn-taking, talking with others and making friends.

How do Brick-by-Brick™ sessions work?

In the sessions, children agree upon a LEGO® project that is achievable for everyone in the group. They learn a clear set of rules and are assigned roles with specific responsibilities:

  • The Architect holds the building instructions, and is responsible for letting the others know which bricks are required (Supplier) and how to put them together (Builder).
  • The Supplier holds the LEGO bricks necessary to assemble the LEGO model, and is responsible for supplying the builder with the correct pieces and at the correct time.
  • The Builder is responsible for taking the individual pieces from the supplier, and putting the pieces together, according to the instructions given by the architect, to create the model.

Roles are rotated throughout the sessions so children can learn different skills and responsibilities.

Additional program details

Before starting the program, there will be an initial interview with the child and parent to understand the needs and goals of the child. The program is suitable for children who may be facing some challenges interacting with other and building relationships, including children on the autism spectrum*.

Learning Links’ psychologists run the program for 10 x weeks during school terms small-group sessions with a maximum of 6 children per group .

Each session is 1.5 hours, with parents attending for the first and last 15 minutes of each session.

*For children to achieve the best possible outcomes in Brick-by-Brick™, they need to have a certain level of communication skills and be able to follow instructions. Please discuss the program’s suitability with our Customer Care team.

Program costs

Parent Interview: $156

Weekly program sessions: $1,040

Total cost: $1,196 (end-of-program report included)

NDIS funding can be used for the Brick-by-Brick™ Program.

Social Skills Programs and Other Group Support in Schools

PALS is an evidence-based social skills program to help 4-6 year olds develop a range of social behaviours for the early years of school. Using puppets, stories, games and role play, children learn important skills like:

  • greeting others
  • talking and listening
  • taking turns
  • understanding feelings
  • problem-solving in social situations.

PALS is suitable for young children who may need extra support in social situations at preschool or in the lead up to starting schools.

Learning Links currently runs the PALS program as a weekly school-based program. Speak to our team to see how your school can benefit.

Enquire About School Support Programs
A group of children in a classroom, working together in social skills program, boys and girls.

The Zones of Regulation is designed for children 6-12 years and aims to address challenges with emotional and sensory regulation, and social skills. Using visuals, play-based activities, role playing and video modelling, the program teaches self-regulation by helping children to categorise their emotions and develop strategies to control their impulses and cope when they feel overwhelmed.

The program includes discussions, role plays, video modelling and variety of activities to teach students to:

  • identify their feelings and level of alertness
  • understand how their behaviour can impact others
  • build strategies to manage their feelings appropriately

Learning Links currently runs Zones of Regulation as a weekly school-based program. Speak to our team to see how your school can benefit.

Enquire About School Support Programs
Child colouring in and learning about feelings

Take Action is an anxiety management program that empowers children 8-12 years to build a greater understanding of their feelings, important coping strategies, confidence and resilience.

Children are taught a range of strategies via a 6-step ACTION plan where each letter in the word A-C-T-I-O-N stands for a skill the children learn. By practising the skills they learn, participants develop their own action plan to reduce and overcome anxiety:

  • A – Be AWARE – of feelings and body signals
  • C – Keep CALM – strategies for keeping calm and reducing anxiety
  • T – THINK Strong Thoughts – think ingpositively and confidently
  • I – Get INTO Action – gradually learn to confront anxiety-provoking situations
  • O – Use my OPTIONS – additional strategies to further manage anxiety including problem solving and asking others for help
  • N – NEVER Stop Taking Action – plan for anxiety-provoking times to help in the future

Learning Links currently runs Take Action as a weekly school-based program. Speak to our team to see how your school can benefit.

Enquire About School Support Programs
Boy in social skills program writing on white board