Getting Started

When a child first comes to the Friendship Network for Children, we begin a unique creative endeavor to discover what will bring more happiness into their life. First and foremost, we look for ways to help your child feel safe, comfortable and understood.

The Intake Process

Our intake process is designed to assure that our services will be helpful to your child. We pay careful attention to group composition so that all members of the group may benefit.

If you have looked over our web site and believe the Friendship Network might be a good match for your child, here's how to take the next steps.

1. Call Nancy Swanberg, MS, LMHC at 508.393.0030. Nancy will provide a brief overview of our services so you can decide if our approach might be helpful to your child.

2. A telephone interview is scheduled and then completed with our Intake Coordinator, Alexis Ohanian, MT-BC. The purpose of the interview is to determine if our services might be right for your child. If you and Alexis decide it's a "go" then we proceed to the next step.

3. Finally, we schedule an intake appointment to meet with you and your child together at the Friendship Network.

4. After the appointment, we call to follow-up with recommendations regarding which group or services are most appropriate for your child. We also want to hear how things went from your point of view (and you child's).

This is our three-step clinical approach:

1. We start by gathering background information. We'll review assessments by other professionals and ask you, the parent, to fill out an intake packet. How is she perceived by others? What are his issues that concern you?

2. Next, we get to know your child's world. What do their behaviors mean to them? These are like clues to a mystery. Is he feeling anger, or is it confusion? Is she simply trying to tell you she's nervous? How do they perceive your world? Every child is different, and each pattern of behavior offers a window to their unique viewpoint.

3. Finally, we make adjustments and accommodations, brainstorming creative approaches and fine-tuning as we go. We work with children individually and in therapeutic socialization groups where they learn to make friends (the "friendship" part of the Friendship Network for Children).