Sometimes children or young people have difficulty finding their own way in social contacts and activities. For example, because they are very inhibited, clumsy or have not learned things or have learned them insufficiently due to events. Training can help, but often this does not help to apply what has been learned in daily life. These children and young people fall behind, both in skills and experience, and do not automatically do the things that their peers do.

Maatjes is a group treatment in which skills are practiced for a longer time through play and contact. We work on various social skills, problem-solving skills, emotional skills, psycho-education and discussing and ordering events. We do this by regularly meeting in a fixed group, usually 6 to 9 times.

Maatjes is often a follow-up to previously given training or support or it complements a specific individual treatment. At Maatjes these things come back again, so that children and young people who do not automatically make the translation to daily life, still develop.

Maatjes has a number of goals;

– Applying previously learned skills in daily life

– Encouraging independent functioning

– Getting to know and understand your own possibilities

– Bringing children and young people into contact with normal experiences

– To allow children and young people to experience the pleasure of interacting with peers

– Developing behavioral and emotional skills around friendships

Maatjes is custom work. We try to combine children or young people who fit together, so that a group of friends can be created. These are small groups with permanent therapists.

Buddies is combined with parental guidance, possibly individual treatment on demand and possibly advice to the school.