Practising social skills at home
Home practice is one turn in a real game, one sentence for asking, and a sibling or cousin if that is who you have. Not twenty social stories on the fridge.
Written by the Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Center therapy team · medically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS (GMC 8023727) · Last reviewed September 2026
What to try this week
A two-player game with a timer. A script stuck on the fridge. Stopping while they still want one more turn. Coaching can watch. Home: connection and communication.
Siblings
A sibling is a real peer, with real history. Keep the burst short. See supporting siblings.
When there is no other child in the house
Practise with an adult first. A short park visit or one cousin is the next step. A birthday party is not.
If it only works at home
Still practise here, then send a letter the teacher can try. Coaching: parent coaching.
The idea behind the work (in the books)
One two-player game, one sentence or card, a timer. A sibling is a real peer with real history — keep it short.
Bandura — practise with a model
You are the first peer. Then a sibling or cousin. Then the park.
NICE — parent mediation
The script has to be used in the house, or the clinic hour is a performance.
What the research tells us
This isn’t just our opinion — it’s grounded in published research. Here are a few findings from trusted, independent sources:
NICE CG170 recommends a play-based social-communication intervention with parents, carers and teachers to increase joint attention, engagement and reciprocal communication, adjusted to the child’s developmental level. For pre-school children it recommends parent mediation.
— NICE Clinical Guideline CG170 — Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management. View sourceA Cochrane review of parent-mediated early intervention (17 trials, 919 children) found strong evidence that parent–child interaction changes — more shared attention, more parent synchrony. Evidence that the child’s own language and adaptive skills change was smaller and less certain.
— Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews — Oono, Honey and McConachie (2013), CD009774. View source
Take a worksheet home
Print one sheet. Fill it in this week. Bring it to the consultation — a consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes.
Requesting cards
Help, more, finished, stop, my turn, can I play — a faster ask than screaming.
First–then board
The hard moment, then the promised good thing — set out before the fight starts.
Social-skills home program (PDF)
One peer, one game, a goodbye that ends.
Book a consultation
Contact owner Muhammad Salman Afzal first. No referral needed. A consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes.
At home — questions parents ask
They are fine at home and fall apart at school.
That is common. We still practise at home, then write a sentence the teacher can try. Classroom support.
We have no other children at home.
Practise with an adult first. A cousin or a short park visit is the next step, not a birthday party.
Siblings fight the whole game.
Shorten it. One timer. One adult referee who then leaves. See siblings.
Siblings fight the whole game.
Shorten it. One timer. See siblings.
Ask about at home
A short, friendly conversation is the best first step. Call, text or WhatsApp us — we’ll listen and guide you, with no pressure.
MPS Road, Block A Model Town, Multan (near Bloomfield Hall School, Street No. 2) · Mon–Fri, 2 PM – 6 PM