Find the Right Social Group
Social Skills Groups for Kids and Teens
Burgos Behavior offers in-person social skills groups for children and teens who want to strengthen their communication skills, build confidence, and develop meaningful friendships.
Our groups provide structured social skills lessons, opportunities for peer interaction, and group activities that help participants practice the skills needed to build lasting friendships.
About Our Groups
We have one group for kids and two groups for teens. All of them meet in person at our office in Manteca, and each group has about 10 to 12 participants with two adults.
Groups run in terms, and every term has its own theme and lessons. Most terms are 4 to 6 weekly sessions, and we take breaks between terms. Teen terms may end with a joint outing. Families get take-home materials so skills can be practiced between sessions.
Enrollment is confirmed term by term and does not renew automatically. We reach out before each term to confirm your spot.
What a Session Looks Like
Every session is built around a social skills lesson.
Sessions include time for conversation, movement, group activities, and open time. Open time looks different by group. Kids have free play. Teens have Teens' Choice, where they can bring games or just chat. The focus is conversation skills, asking questions, and the small social moves that build friendships. The exact flow can vary by group and by term.
Who Is Most Likely to Enjoy and Benefit From Group
A child or teen who already takes part in group settings and wants to sharpen their social skills and build friendships that last is most likely to enjoy and benefit from group. They do not need to do everything perfectly. A child or teen who does most of the following, most of the time, in a group setting outside the home over the past three months is a great fit:
Joins group activities with no more than an occasional reminder
Follows a whole-group instruction, like "put that away and come sit down," within about a minute, with one reminder at most
Stays with a non-preferred activity for 15 minutes or longer, or is building toward that and keeps trying
Moves on from a preferred activity within a few minutes of being asked to stop
Responds when an unfamiliar peer approaches and is willing to try a back-and-forth
Waits their turn in turn-based games, or is working on it and sticking with it
Keeps going when an activity does not go their way, like losing or a rule change, with one reminder at most, and recovers with some support
Communicates needs verbally or through another clear, consistent method
Gives mostly on-topic answers to direct questions about past events
Holds a conversation on a preferred topic for at least three exchanges
Handles a public restroom independently or with only occasional check-ins
Accepts redirection without escalating
Most of all, they are persistent, willing to try new things, keep going when something is tricky, and want to build meaningful friendships.
When Group May Not Be the Right Fit
Group is not the right fit right now if any of these happened in a group setting outside the home in the past three months:
Meltdowns or tantrums lasting five minutes or more
Leaving a supervised space without permission
Hitting, biting, kicking, or scratching others
Throwing or breaking objects
Mouthing objects or other people
Screaming or yelling that disrupts others
These criteria keep every participant safe and keep each group a good fit for the people in it. We apply them the same way for every family. Our social groups are currently the only group programs we offer, so if a child or teen does not meet the criteria, we do not have a group placement to offer at this time.
Ready to Find Your Quirky Crew?
We're here to help your child or teen build confidence, strengthen social skills, and develop meaningful friendships in a group that fits their needs.
Please review our group information and participation requirements before completing the Find Your Quirky Crew form.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
We offer one group for kids and two groups for teens. Each group is designed to help participants strengthen their social skills and build meaningful friendships. We encourage families to review the group descriptions and participation criteria before completing the Find Your Quirky Crew form.
-
Groups run in terms, and every term has its own theme and lessons. Most terms include 4 to 6 weekly sessions, with breaks between terms. Teen terms may end with a joint outing. Families also receive take-home materials so skills can be practiced between sessions.
-
Every session is built around a social skills lesson. Sessions include conversation, movement, group activities, and open time. Kids have free play, while teens have Teens' Choice, where they can bring games or simply chat with peers. The exact flow may vary by group and term.
-
Yes. Enrollment is confirmed term by term and does not renew automatically. We reach out before each term to confirm your spot.
-
Each group has approximately 10 to 12 participants with two adults. All groups meet in person at our office in Manteca, California.
-
Our social groups are currently the only group programs we offer. If a child or teen does not meet the participation criteria, we do not have a group placement to offer at this time. These criteria help keep every participant safe and ensure each group is a good fit for the people in it.
-
No. Groups meet weekly during scheduled terms, with breaks between terms. Most terms include 4 to 6 sessions.
Ready to Take the Next Step Toward
Behavior Support?
Whether you are trying to get through mornings with less stress, help your child participate in community activities, or feel more confident responding in difficult moments, Burgos Behavior is here to help. Let’s focus on the challenge in front of you and build a plan that helps your family move forward.