What is Social City?
Social City (established in 2013) is a social skills program in New York City for children ages 2 years old to young adults who would benefit from supplemental social and emotional support.
Social City is committed to providing high quality services to enable and empower children to thrive socially and academically, preparing them for life-long success.
Who is the right fit?
ANYONE! Social City provides social skills group classes for students of all levels and abilities who are grouped according to their age, grade, language skills and social-emotional functioning.
How are students placed into groups?
A 2-part consultation is scheduled which consists of a 20-30 minute phone call with a parent and a 5 - 10 minute virtual consultation with their child.
The purpose of the consultation is to learn about their child, explain the program in greater detail, and answer any questions that arise, to determine if Social City is an appropriate fit, and if so, which group is most appropriate. ($95 fee). In order to maximize learning potential, students are appropriately matched according to their age, emotional maturity, social functioning, goals and interests
How are classes structured?
Classes at Social City consist of four parts, with a mix of explicit (direct explanation including sharing and modeling new information) and embedded instruction (learning and practicing skills through modalities such as games, activities, role plays, etc.), each designed to teach, practice, or improve communication and social skills. See outline below.
Group Conversation - encourages social interactions and relationship skills (ex: reinforcing eye contact, asking related questions or making connected comments to maintain the conversation, turn taking, and other conversational skills).
Social Skills Topic - presented in an interactive and engaging manner through group discussion, role plays, interactive and instructional short video clips, and group games and activities. Skills build upon previously learned skills, and each skill spans approximately two classes. Although there is a specific skill topic each week, we are constantly targeting many other skills indirectly (embedded instruction) during each class.
Creative Movement and/or Creative Art
Movement - focuses on getting the students up and moving, and promotes self-regulation.
Art - focuses on reinforcing the skill topic through interactive and collaborative art projects.
Centers - the students break up into groups to play different games. Games are chosen based on which skill is being targeted that day. The games provide an opportunity to reinforce the learned skills in a less structured environment. During Centers, group leaders take a step back to observe student interactions and each individual’s ability to get along with peers, explain rules, and demonstrate patience and good sportsmanship. Group leaders step in when necessary in order to provide verbal prompts, models or reminders and, at times, to stop situations in the moment in order to analyze and further discuss them with the students.
How do I know what my child is learning and how does Social City help children generalize the skills they are learning?
Weekly class summary emails are sent to the child’s team. These emails outline the skills targeted and include tips and strategies that can be used to reinforce the learned skills throughout the week (in between classes). Over the course of the semester (every 5-6 weeks), phone calls led by your child’s group leader are held to discuss your child’s individual progress and performance at Social City. This is also an opportunity for you to share any feedback, updates, and/or ask any questions you may have.
How will progress be assessed during the semester? Will parents receive feedback?
Student progress is reviewed in weekly team meetings. Progress will be presented to parents via individualized student update calls every 5-6 weeks.
Can I involve others in what my child is learning at Social City?
Absolutely! Social City encourages you to connect them with anyone on your child’s team (ex: teachers, therapists, etc.). Social City is happy to email or set up phone calls for the purpose of collaborating with others who support your child. Social City encourages you to include your child's team members on their email summaries, so they can be aware of the skill topics being covered and use the carry-over strategies with your child to reinforce the learned skills.
How do I explain what Social City is to my child?
We suggest framing this as a “hangout” or joining a “club” to meet some new friends outside of their school and improve their friendship and social skills. In order for your child to get the most out of the program, this should be a fun and enjoyable experience. Social City makes it a point to incorporate each child's interest (as well as their specific goals) into the curriculum in order for your child to get the most out of the classes.
Some potential examples to explain Social City to your child:
letting them know the program is called "Social City" and talk about what being social means to them
mention meeting new kids, finding others who have similar interests, potentially making new friends
you can outline activities/review the schedule above, highlighting things you know your child may enjoy (centers-"oh I bet they have UNO, maybe you can even bring your own to share")
mention practicing xx (handling when other kids are being difficult, joining a new group, etc.)
What does it cost to attend? How do I pay?
The semester cost varies depending on your child's age and which day of the week their class falls on (i.e. Due to holidays, Mondays and Fridays often have fewer classes within a semester). Individual payment plans are available upon request.
Will my insurance cover my child’s attendance at Social City?
Social City can provide coded receipts/superbills, at the end of the semester, which you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Coverage varies depending on your particular insurance plan and benefits. Please note that Social City is not in network with and does not communicate with any insurance companies. Please email Social City to learn more and/or request codes in advance.
If I re-enroll my child in a new semester, will the class address new topics and skills?
Every semester a unique curriculum is developed for each group. The curriculum is tailored to meet the goals and needs of the students in each particular group, and caters towards their current skill level. Some topics will overlap as students may not have necessarily mastered the skill the previous semester, however, lessons will not be repeated. Any topics that are repeated will be presented in new ways including engaging and interactive activities, in order to provide students with a deeper understanding of the target skill, as well as opportunities to continue practicing the skill to demonstrate mastery and an ability to generalize the skill to other situations and environments. As children progress and grow, there are new social demands and expectations; Social City's curriculum is adjusted accordingly to meet their needs and hone their social emotional skills.
How long do students typically stay enrolled in social city?
Most students enroll for one or two years, as learning new skills takes repeated practice and trial and error. Though this does vary, as there are students who attend our program with very specific goals that they master within one semester. Since Social City's program is developed for two year olds through young adults, a student who was enrolled when they were five years old, might return as a middle schooler as social norms evolve with age. Social City also has students who continuously enroll in the program, as mastering social skills is a lifelong process. Students benefit from continued learning in this area, fine-tuning their abilities throughout middle school and into high school and college. It's beneficial for students of all ages to receive continual instruction and opportunities to practice social and emotional skills.
What are language groups?
The language group follows the same structure as our other social skills groups, but provides more expressive and receptive language support to students who may need/benefit from it, while also targeting their social-emotional development. The children in these groups are working on building their social skills, but also working towards strengthening their language skills.
Can I enroll in school break social skills camps if I am not enrolled in any other social city service?
Yes! Anyone can enroll in our school break social skills camps (when schools are closed)! Additional details on this service can be found below.