Helping Children
At Family First, our programs are thoughtfully designed to support each child’s unique journey. From building social skills to strengthening emotional development, we offer evidence-based, engaging services that empower children—and their families—to grow with confidence.
Connect,
Learn,
Thrive.
Spark: Social Pathways and Recreation Kickstart
Empowering Children. Fostering Social Skills. Connecting Families.
the SPARK program is designed to help children aged 6-17 access recreational activities while providing essential behavioral support and social skills training. SPARK ensures your child can participate in community-based activities, with the guidance and support needed to thrive in these settings.
What You Can Expect
Access to Recreational Programs:
SPARK connects your child to a wide variety of social and recreational opportunities that match their interests and abilities.
Support with Social Skills:
Our team will provide on-site coaching to help your child learn and practice social skills in real-world settings, such as sports, clubs, and other group activities.
Behavioral Support:
Your child will receive personalized guidance from trained Social Coaches, who will use evidence-based strategies to help them succeed in social interactions.
Collaboration with Families:
Our Social Coaches work directly with families to identify strengths, interests, and goals, ensuring that each child’s experience is unique and tailored to their needs.
Transportation Options:
While we encourage families to transport their children to and from activities, Family First can provide transportation with prior consent.
Who Should Join?
Children aged 6-17 who are receiving Regional Center services
Families who want their child to develop social skills and participate in recreational activities that align with their interests
Parents seeking support in integrating their child into community settings with the right behavioral strategies
Program Details
Age Range: Children aged 6-17
Locations: Serving Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties
Access to recreational programs that match your child’s interests
Personalized social skills training and behavioral support
Greater integration into the community and opportunities for meaningful social interactions
Regular progress updates to track your child’s development and success
What You Will Gain
Our goal is to spark your child’s interest in recreational activities, foster meaningful social connections, and empower them to be active participants in their community.
Program for Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS)
PEERS Preschool
Building Early Social Skills for Lifelong Friendships
The PEERS for Preschoolers Program is a 16-week, evidence-based program designed to help young children (ages 3-6) develop foundational social skills that will support them in making friends and navigating peer interactions. This program focuses on essential social behaviors, such as greetings, entering and exiting play, asking for help, respecting personal space, and using appropriate voice volume.
The PEERS for Preschoolers Program is a 16-week, evidence-based program designed to help young children (ages 3-6) develop foundational social skills that will support them in making friends and navigating peer interactions. This program focuses on essential social behaviors, such as greetings, entering and exiting play, asking for help, respecting personal space, and using appropriate voice volume.
Program Structure and Design
The PEERS for Preschoolers program is delivered over 16 weeks, with weekly sessions that incorporate play-based activities and social skill lessons. Each session is structured to teach a specific social behavior, and children will have the opportunity to practice these skills in a supportive, engaging environment.
Topics covered include:
Greetings and Introductions
Entering and Exiting Play
Asking for and Offering Help
Respecting Personal Space and Boundaries
Using Appropriate Voice Volume
Playing and Sharing with Peers
Throughout the program, children will learn and practice social rules that are essential for developing friendships and interacting with others in a variety of settings, such as at home, school, and in the community.
Caregiver Involvement
Parents and caregivers play an important role in this program. They will attend concurrent sessions where they will learn how to support their child’s social skill development at home and in real-world settings. Caregivers will be given tools, resources, and practical strategies to help their child practice social behaviors outside of the program, reinforcing what they’ve learned in group settings.
Key Components of the Program
Each session focuses on one social skill and incorporates interactive activities to practice and reinforce these skills.
16 Weekly Sessions:
Each session focuses on one social skill and incorporates interactive activities to practice and reinforce these skills.
Parent and Caregiver Participation:
Activities are designed to be fun and engaging, ensuring children are actively involved in the learning process.
Play-Based Learning:
Parents will receive resources and strategies to support their child’s social skills development beyond the program.
Ongoing Support:
Anticipated Outcomes
By the end of the program, we expect the following outcomes for both children and caregivers:
Increased Social Skills:
Children will demonstrate improved social skills such as initiating and maintaining play, making greetings, and asking for help appropriately.
Increased Parent Confidence:
Caregivers will feel more confident in their ability to support their child’s social and emotional development.
Strengthened Parent-Child Relationships:
Parents will better understand and respond to their child’s social and emotional needs, fostering stronger relational bonds.
Generalized Learning:
Social skills learned in the program will be generalized to real-life situations, allowing for continued peer interaction and relationship-building in the community.
Enhanced Use of Evidence-Based Practices:
Parents will be equipped with practical strategies and tools grounded in research to support their child’s ongoing social skill development.
Our goal is to create a positive, supportive learning environment for children, parents, and caregivers, fostering a foundation for successful social interactions that will last throughout their lives.
PEERS Teens
Supporting Teens in Building Social Skills and Friendships
The PEERS Teens Program is a 14-week, evidence-based program designed to help teens (ages 13-17) improve their social skills, build lasting friendships, and navigate common social challenges. Through structured lessons and practice, teens will learn how to initiate, maintain, and end conversations, handle peer conflicts, and use humor appropriately, among other essential skills.
The PEERS Teens Program is a 14-week, evidence-based program designed to help teens (ages 13-17) improve their social skills, build lasting friendships, and navigate common social challenges. Through structured lessons and practice, teens will learn how to initiate, maintain, and end conversations, handle peer conflicts, and use humor appropriately, among other essential skills.
Program Structure and Design
Each session builds upon previous lessons, incorporating practice opportunities in different contexts to help teens generalize their social skills.
Key topics covered throughout the program include:
Introduction and Trading Information
Initiating and Maintaining Conversations
Choosing Appropriate Friends
Electronic Communication
Humor and Good Sportsmanship
Handling Teasing, Bullying, and Rumors
At the end of the program, teens who complete all sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Managing Disagreements and Arguments
Get-Togethers and Group Dynamics
Caregiver Involvement
Caregivers are an essential part of the program. They will attend concurrent social coaching sessions, learning how to reinforce the social skills their teen is working on. Caregivers will receive handouts and home-based activities to support the development of skills and help their teen practice social interactions outside of the group setting.
Key Components of the Program
Each session includes a didactic lesson, behavioral rehearsals, and interactive social activities.
14 Weekly Sessions:
Caregivers participate in separate, concurrent sessions to help reinforce skills and strategies at home.
Parent Engagement:
Teens are encouraged to practice what they’ve learned in real-life settings and will receive tools and resources to do so.
Real-World Application:
Program Outcomes
By the end of the program, teens will have gained the tools and strategies to:
Initiate and maintain conversations
Build lasting friendships
Handle peer pressure and conflicts effectively
Navigate social media and electronic communication
Gain confidence in their social interactions
Our goal is to empower teens to develop the social skills needed to succeed in school, social groups, and their broader communities.
Meet the Group Coordinator for SPARK and PEERS
Jackie Johnson
Jackie grew up on the shore of West Haven, Connecticut.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science.
She is first and foremost a proud mother of 5 children, grandmother of 7 and great grandmother
of one.
Jackie’s career serving neurodiverse populations has spanned 48 years.
She was most recently employed as a Case Management Supervisor at Far Northern Regional
Center.
While at the Regional Center she participated in the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on
Autism and was an active member of California Autism Professional Training and Information
Network.
After retiring from Far Northern Jackie was thrilled to join the team at Family First in bringing the
PEERS Program (Social Skill Training for individuals with ASD) to the community.
Jackie grew up on the shore of West Haven, Connecticut.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science.
She is first and foremost a proud mother of 5 children, grandmother of 7 and great grandmother
of one.
Jackie’s career serving neurodiverse populations has spanned 48 years.
She was most recently employed as a Case Management Supervisor at Far Northern Regional
Center.
While at the Regional Center she participated in the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on
Autism and was an active member of California Autism Professional Training and Information
Network.
After retiring from Far Northern Jackie was thrilled to join the team at Family First in bringing the
PEERS Program (Social Skill Training for individuals with ASD) to the community.
Contact for More Information
