Learn 2 Be Social is an educational service that helps children and young people develop both social understanding and social skills. I believe social skills are a natural progression of social understanding, with support and guidance along the way.
Through engaging programmes, workshops and resources, I help children understand the “why” behind social situations, friendships, communication and everyday social expectations, so they can build confidence and apply their social skills in real-life situations.
Through Stepping Socially with Tash, I support parents and carers by explaining social development, everyday social expectations, and some of the challenges children and young people may experience.
My aim is to provide clear, practical explanations that help parents feel more informed and confident in supporting their child through the social side of growing up.
Many social skills programmes focus on teaching the behavioural side of social interaction, such as making eye contact, greeting others, taking turns or starting conversations.
At Learn 2 Be Social, these skills are important, but they are not where we begin.
We first help children understand why people make eye contact, why we greet one another, what these behaviours communicate, and how social expectations can change depending on the person, place and situation.
By developing social understanding first, children can begin to make sense of social situations and develop social skills with greater confidence and flexibility, rather than simply learning a set of rules.
Social understanding is the ability to make sense of the social world around us.
It involves understanding things such as why people behave the way they do, what different social situations mean, what other people may be thinking or feeling, and the unspoken social expectations we experience every day.
Social understanding helps children recognise that the same behaviour may not be appropriate in every situation. Instead of simply learning what to do, they begin to understand why different situations call for different responses.
“Social understanding is the thinking behind social skills.”
“At Learn 2 Be Social, we believe that when children understand the ‘why’, the ‘how’ begins to make sense.”
No. Learn 2 Be Social is an educational service, not speech and language therapy.
Speech and language therapists assess and support children’s speech, language and communication needs. My role is different.
I help children develop social understanding and social skills by exploring the “why” behind social situations, helping them make sense of friendships, communication, social expectations and everyday interactions.
Where appropriate, Learn 2 Be Social can complement the support a child is already receiving from other professionals, but it is not a replacement for speech and language therapy or any other clinical service.
Because when children understand the reason behind a social situation, they are better able to make sense of it for themselves.
Instead of relying on memorised rules, they begin to recognise patterns, think more flexibly, and make decisions based on the situation they are in.
Every social situation is different. There isn’t one rule that fits every friendship, conversation or environment.
By helping children understand the “why”, they begin to understand the “how”.
No. Learn 2 Be Social won’t be the right fit for every child.
My programmes are designed for children who are able to explore ideas, ask questions, and think about why people behave in different ways. Together, we look beyond social behaviours to understand the thinking behind everyday social situations.
Some children may not yet be ready for this type of learning. They may benefit more from support that matches their current stage of development and learning needs.
No. A diagnosis is not required to access Learn 2 Be Social.
My programmes are open to children with or without a formal diagnosis. What matters most is whether the programme is the right fit for your child’s individual strengths, needs and stage of development.
It can be difficult to know whether Learn 2 Be Social is the right fit for your child, and that’s perfectly normal.
That’s why every programme begins with a reduced-price try-out session. It gives your child the opportunity to experience how I teach and gives us the chance to see whether the programme is a good fit before committing to a full programme.
Yes. My online programmes are intentionally shorter because learning online can be demanding for some children.
Shorter programmes give children a clear goal, make learning feel less overwhelming, and allow time to process and apply what they have learned before moving on to the next topic.
Every child learns at a different pace. Some children may feel ready to move on, while others may choose to revisit a programme to strengthen their understanding. Learning isn’t about rushing it’s about building strong foundations.
Face-to-face programmes are different. They run over a full term, allowing more time for discussion, activities and practising ideas together.
Online groups have a maximum of six children to encourage discussion, participation and individual support.
Programmes are not dependent on reaching full numbers. Whether there is one child or six, sessions will go ahead as planned, ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn in a supportive environment.
Yes. A limited number of one-to-one sessions are available for children who may benefit from more individual support before joining a group.
For some children, one-to-one sessions provide an opportunity to build confidence and become familiar with my approach, with the aim of moving into a group programme when they feel ready.
One-to-one sessions are booked individually and availability is limited.
Session length varies depending on the programme.
Online sessions are designed to be engaging and manageable for children, while face-to-face programmes may be longer to allow additional discussion and activities.
The length of each programme is included in the booking information.