What are social communication difficulties?

Social communication difficulties affect how children use language in everyday social situations. While some children have strong vocabulary and sentence skills, they may still find it difficult to start conversations, understand social cues, take turns during conversations or develop friendships.

Children may also have difficulty understanding body language, facial expressions, humour, figurative language or the unwritten social rules that change depending on the situation.

Social communication challenges are commonly experienced by autistic children, but they can also occur alongside language difficulties, ADHD and other developmental differences.

Early support can help children develop the confidence and skills needed to build positive relationships and participate successfully in everyday life.

Signs your child may benefit from social communication therapy

You might notice that your child:

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• finds it difficult to make or maintain friendships

• struggles to start or join conversations

• talks mainly about their own interests

• has difficulty taking turns in conversation

• misunderstands jokes, sarcasm or figurative language

• finds group situations challenging

• struggles to understand other people’s thoughts or feelings

• has difficulty interpreting facial expressions or body language

• becomes anxious or overwhelmed in social situations

• finds playground or classroom interactions difficult

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If you’re concerned about your child’s social communication skills, an assessment can help identify their strengths and the areas where they may benefit from support.

Common social communication difficulties we support

Conversation Skills​

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Successful conversations involve much more than talking. Children need to know how to start conversations, take turns, stay on topic, ask questions and recognise when it’s someone else’s turn to speak. Therapy helps children develop these practical communication skills through engaging, meaningful activities that can be applied in everyday life.

Friendship Skills​

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Building and maintaining friendships requires children to understand cooperation, shared interests, problem-solving and flexible communication. Some children want to make friends but aren’t sure how to join in, maintain conversations or respond during play. Therapy supports children to develop confidence, social awareness and the communication skills needed to build positive relationships.

Pragmatic Language​

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Pragmatic language refers to the social use of language - knowing what to say, how to say it and when it’s appropriate. Children may have difficulty adjusting their communication depending on who they’re talking to, understanding personal space or recognising social expectations. Therapy focuses on helping children use language more effectively across a range of everyday situations.

Perspective Taking​

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Perspective taking is the ability to understand that other people may think, feel or know different things. Children who struggle with perspective taking may find it difficult to predict how others will respond or understand why misunderstandings occur. Therapy develops flexible thinking and supports children to consider different viewpoints during everyday interactions.

Understanding Emotions​

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Recognising and understanding emotions helps children respond appropriately during social interactions and develop empathy for others. Some children find it difficult to identify emotions in themselves or others, making social situations confusing or overwhelming. Therapy supports children to recognise emotional cues, understand feelings and develop strategies for successful interactions.

Non-verbal Communication​

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Communication isn’t just about words. Facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, body language and tone of voice all play an important role in successful social interactions. Some children find these non-verbal cues difficult to interpret or use themselves. Therapy helps children recognise and use non-verbal communication more effectively.

Flexible Thinking & Social Problem Solving​

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Social situations are often unpredictable, requiring children to adapt their thinking, solve problems and respond flexibly. Children who prefer routines or have difficulty coping with unexpected situations may benefit from learning strategies that support flexible thinking and problem solving. Therapy helps children develop confidence managing everyday social challenges.

Autism Communication Support​

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Many children, teenagers and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) benefit from support that builds on their existing strengths while helping them navigate social situations that are important to them.

Therapy is individualised, neurodiversity-affirming and developed collaboratively with the child and their family. The focus is not on changing who a child is, but on supporting meaningful communication, self-advocacy and participation in environments that matter to them.

What does a social communication assessment involve?

A social communication assessment helps us understand how your child communicates and interacts with others in everyday situations.

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During the assessment, we may:

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• observe your child’s communication during play and conversation

• assess social communication skills in structured and natural activities

• evaluate conversation, play and interaction skills

• discuss your child’s communication strengths and challenges

• gather information about home, preschool or school experiences

• answer any questions you may have

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Following the assessment, we'll explain the results, discuss whether therapy is recommended and develop an individualised plan that supports your child’s communication goals.

What does social communication therapy involve?

Every child communicates differently, so therapy is tailored to their individual strengths, goals and interests.

Sessions are engaging, play-based and evidence-based, providing opportunities to practise communication skills in meaningful, enjoyable activities. Therapy may include role play, games, collaborative problem solving, storytelling and real-life social scenarios.

Parents are an important part of the therapy process. We’ll provide practical strategies that can be incorporated into everyday routines to help children and teenagers apply new skills beyond the therapy session.

Where appropriate, we also work collaboratively with educators and other professionals to support consistent communication across different environments.