What kinds of kids do you see in your programs?
All of our program participants are children with average to above average intelligence. They all have something that gets in the way of their success at school, at home and/or with friends.
What kinds of diagnoses do the children have?
Some children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD), Asperger's Syndrome, Tourette's Syndrome, Conduct Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NLD), Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or giftedness. Other children have no diagnosis but are shy or simply have trouble being successful in school, at home and/or with friends.
Is is necessary for my child to have a diagnosis or recent assessment?
No. Any child is eligible to attend our programs.
Won't my child pick up the behaviours of the other children? In other words, could they end the program with bigger behaviour problems than they started with?
This might seem logical if the child was spending time with other children without supervision. We have an individualized approach at Interact which tries to ensure that each child is receiving the type of intervention best suited to his/her needs. We are with them at all times and are able to point out specific problem areas and stress the importance of being yourself. At Interact we know that each participant is a special individual who does not need to copy someone else. That is the way it is explained to the children and we have not seen any major problems in this area.
If my child comes to Interact School, will he/she be able to go on to a regular school without losing the year?
We follow the curriculum set out by the Ministere de l'Education de Quebec, so our students are following the usual courses for theor grade level and do not lose any time by being at Interact.
I would like my child to stay in their regular school. Do you offer any programs that will help him/her be more successful?
Yes! Social Skills can help with behavioral issues. Tutoring can help with academic and organizational difficulties. Workshops can also be created to help foster understanding at their school and/or in their community.
What do I tell my child when he/she is starting the social Skills program?
You tell them they are going to a group where they may make new friends. The kids know why they are coming, their difficulties are no secret. Keep it simple and let us take care of the rest.
What are your qualifications?
Interact is run by Margaret Blair, B.A. and Dayle Wiltshire, B.Ed. Interact was created in 1992 and has seen and helped hundreds of children since then. Both Margaret and Dayle rely on their experience and believe that the children have a way of teaching you what they need.