Friendship Foundations

This therapeutic group is designed to support children aged 7-9 years old in developing essential social skills that foster meaningful and lasting friendships. Through structured activities, guided discussions, and interactive play, participants will learn and practice key friendship-building skills, including:

Turn-Taking – Understanding the importance of sharing and waiting for their turn in conversations and activities.
Cooperating – Learning how to work together towards a common goal, practicing teamwork, and developing problem-solving strategies.
Fair Play – Recognising the value of honesty, following rules, and being a good sport, whether winning or losing.
Expressing Emotions and Feelings – Developing the ability to identify and communicate emotions and feelings in a healthy and constructive manner.
Reading Emotions and Feelings – Enhancing the ability to recognise and interpret the emotions and feelings of others through verbal and non-verbal cues.
Apologising to Others – Understanding the significance of making amends, offering sincere apologies, and repairing relationships.
Accepting Others – Embracing differences, showing kindness, and learning to respect diverse perspectives and experiences.
Saying “No” – Building confidence in setting boundaries, expressing personal preferences, and handling peer pressure effectively.
By engaging in a safe and supportive environment, children will gain the confidence and social awareness needed to navigate friendships successfully. The group will use games, role-playing, storytelling, and hands-on activities to make learning engaging and meaningful. The goal is to empower children with the skills and understanding necessary to build positive friendships.

If you would like to secure your child a position in this group, please contact Foothills Mental Health and Wellbeing.

When reaching out, kindly provide the following details:

Parent/Caregiver’s Name
Parent/Caregiver’s Contact Information (Phone Number and Email)
Child’s Full Name
Child’s Age and Date of Birth
The group is pioneered by one of our amazing staff, Beth Shaw! Please see below regarding more about who Beth is 🙂

We look forward to hearing from you!

Introducing Beth Shaw

Beth is a Master of Counselling student with an undergraduate degree in psychology and a passion for working with children. With many years of experience working closely with children as a nanny and gymnastics coach, Beth has gained valuable insight into child development.

Beth approaches her work with empathy, patience, and a child-centred mindset and she believes that every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued.

Through her studies and hands-on experience, Beth has come to understand how important a safe environment can be in helping children build confidence, navigate relationships, and develop lifelong skills.