Connection that fits your family's life.
Low-pressure activities built around the things your child already loves, designed for the whole family and done at home, on your schedule.
Why we created Family Social at Home
We started Family Social at Home because we kept hearing the same things from families. Waitlists are long and there aren't enough service providers to go around. Parents are juggling work, appointments and everything else that comes with family life. And by the end of the day, kids are often worn out from school and therapy, with little energy left for one more session.
We also noticed that support usually focuses only on the autistic child. That matters, but a child is part of a family. Parents can feel stretched thin and alone, and siblings can feel left out or unsure how to connect. We believe a connected family gives everyone a sense of belonging, purpose and support, and that helps each person's wellbeing.
So we set out to build something different. Our programs are done at home, on your schedule, around the things your child already loves. There's no waitlist to sit on, no set appointment times or missed-session fees, and no pressure to finish anything or do it "right." If today isn't the day, you just try again tomorrow. You're never doing it alone, though. We check in along the way and are here whenever you need us.
We're a small team with backgrounds in social work, and we're just getting started. As we grow, we want to build programs around what families are actually asking for, so we'd really love to hear from you.
For parents
Feel supported and less alone, with simple tools you can use right away.
For autistic children
Feel accepted, comfortable and included, doing what they love most.
For siblings
Feel seen, connected and understood, without being asked to be "helpers."
How it works
Self-guided and flexible, with our support along the way. Here's what to expect.
Choose your program
Browse our Activity Guides and Family Experience Guides and pick the one that fits your child's interests. Not sure? Reach out and we're happy to help.
Request an appointment on Colib
Click "Get Started" and request an appointment for your program. This sets up your secure family file. It isn't a session time you need to show up for; it's how we book you in and take payment.
Complete your intake
You'll get a short intake form and consent forms to fill out online. This helps us get to know your family and write your letter of recommendation.
Get everything you need
Once payment is complete, you'll receive:
- Your program guide (Family Experience Guides include a caregiver education section)
- A letter of recommendation for buying program materials with your OAP funding
- A formal invoice for your OAP expense report
Start connecting at home
Gather your materials and start whenever it works for your family. There's no schedule to keep.
We stay connected
About two weeks in, we'll check in to see how things are going, answer questions and help you adjust anything that isn't working. You're welcome to reach out anytime in between, too.
Built around what your child loves
Here are our current programs, and we're always working on more! If your family has a special interest you'd love to see, please let us know. We design our programs around what families are looking for, so we'd love to hear your ideas.
Activity Guides
Simple, flexible activities to help your family connect. Activity Guides are smaller packages designed to help your family start connecting around a shared interest. Each one comes with an intake, a check-in, a formal invoice, a letter of recommendation to purchase program materials, and support while you use the guide.
Family LEGO Nights
If LEGO is already a big deal in your house, this one's for you. Family LEGO Nights gives you a handful of building activities to do together. With the guide and its prompts, your family can enjoy building and spending time together.
Family Art Edition
You don't need to be "artsy" to enjoy this one. The Art Edition is about creating together and enjoying the process more than the finished piece. The guide recommends art supplies and gives you ideas and prompts for using them, with the focus on connection and fun.
Photo Journal & Mindfulness Edition
This one gets your family outside and noticing the world together. Head out for a walk around the block, to the park or even just into the backyard, and take photos of whatever catches your eye. Try a new hobby while exploring the outdoors together!
Family Experience Guides
Family Experience Guides go deeper than our Activity Guides. Each one comes with an intake, a check-in, a formal invoice, a letter of recommendation to purchase program materials, and support while you use the guide. They also include a caregiver education section that walks you through simple, practical strategies used throughout the program, like First-Then, declarative language, and modelling, to take the pressure off. These are tools you can keep using long after the program ends.
Quiet Sensory Play: Winter Break Edition
The holiday break can be a lot, with changed routines, visitors, travel, and noise everywhere. This program is the opposite. It gives your family ten quiet, sensory activities to slow down together, from kinetic sand and liquid floor tiles to building a cozy fort with soft lights. The caregiver education section focuses on ways to connect without needing conversation, like playing alongside your child, following their lead, and using declarative language. When the break is over, the materials become a sensory space in your home, so your child has a calm place to go all year long.
Regular price $695 Launch price $500 when you book between November 15 and December 15
Book Experience: How to Train Your Dragon
For the dragon fans out there, this program turns a favourite story into something the whole family does together. It has seven activities: several built around reading (including cooking a recipe from Berk!), two LEGO builds, and a dragon painting activity.
Book Experience: Jurassic World
For the dinosaur experts in your house, this one lets your child take the lead. Read along with Camp Cretaceous, dig for fossils, build your own dinosaur park, and finish with a family movie night. The caregiver education section covers letting your child be the expert, naming feelings with a Dino Feelings Scale, and previewing what comes next, so the exciting parts don't feel like too much.
Coming soon: Engineering & Marble Run · Pizza Night · Move Together
Have an idea? Tell us what your child loves.
Program materials (like LEGO sets, books and art supplies) are purchased separately. Your letter of recommendation explains how each item supports your child's goals.
Meet Michelle
Michelle Surgenor, RSSW
Michelle is a Registered Social Service Worker and the heart behind Family Social at Home's programs. She has lived experience with autism, so she understands the everyday realities families face: long waitlists, busy schedules, and kids who are already tired from school and therapy.
That lived experience shapes everything she creates. Michelle knows that support works best when it fits into family life, not the other way around. She's passionate about making programming accessible and welcoming, so every family can find ways to connect around the things their child loves.
When she designs a program, she thinks about the whole family, including parents, siblings and everyone in between, because she knows firsthand that when a family feels connected, everyone benefits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my OAP funding for this?
Our programs are designed to be purchased with Ontario Autism Program (OAP) Core Clinical Services funding. With each program you'll get a formal invoice for your expense report, plus a letter of recommendation so you can use your funding to buy the program materials. Please note that final approval of any expense is up to the OAP.
What if my invoice is rejected by the OAP?
Please let us know! The OAP sometimes changes its requirements, so if your invoice or letter of recommendation is ever rejected, email us at familysocialathome@gmail.com and we'll update it accordingly.
How do I pay?
Payment is made securely online through Colib when you book. Many families pay using the OAP funding they've already received, then submit our invoice with their OAP expense report.
Why do prices say "starting at"?
Activity Guides start at $450 and Family Experience Guides start at $695. Every family is different, and some may need a little more support. If your family needs more than what's included, we'll talk with you about it and let you know about any extra cost before any additional work begins.
Are the materials included?
No. Your program includes the guide, your letter of recommendation, your invoice and our support. The materials (like LEGO sets, books or art supplies) are bought separately by your family. Your letter of recommendation lists the materials and explains how each one supports your child's goals, so you can buy them with your OAP funding.
Can I buy a program without OAP funding?
Yes, anyone is welcome to purchase our programs.
What ages are the programs for?
Our programs are designed for any age, as they are meant to be adapted to your family, their interests and needs.
Is there a set appointment time?
No. You'll request an appointment through Colib, but it's how we book you in and take payment, not a time you need to show up for. There are no missed-session fees. You work through the guide on your own schedule, and we stay connected along the way with a check-in and support whenever you need it.
How long does it take to get my guide?
We respond to appointment requests within 2 business days. Once your payment is complete and we've received your intake and consent forms, you'll get your guide, letter of recommendation and invoice within 2 business days. Business days are Monday to Friday, not including holidays. If your forms come in on a Friday evening, for example, you can expect everything by the end of the day Tuesday.
How long do we have to finish the program?
As long as you need. There's no timeline, no missed-session fees, and no pressure to finish. Some families do an activity every week, and some come back to the guide whenever they have the energy. Both are perfect.
What if my child doesn't want to join in?
That's okay, and it's expected some days. Joining in can look like building, watching from across the room, sorting supplies or taking breaks. All of it counts. Our guides include gentle prompts and options for different energy levels, and if today isn't the day, you can just try again another time.
Can siblings take part?
Yes, and we hope they will! Our programs are designed for the whole family. Each guide includes prompts to help siblings feel included, without any pressure to be "helpers."
What support do I get?
Your program is overseen by Michelle, from your intake through to your check-in. About two weeks after you receive your guide, we'll check in to see how things are going, answer questions and help you adjust anything that isn't working. Between check-ins, you're welcome to email us anytime at familysocialathome@gmail.com.
Who creates the programs?
Our programs are designed by our team, who have backgrounds in social work. They draw on family systems theory, narrative therapy and cognitive behavioural approaches, with a focus on connection, social skills and family bonding.
How is my family's information kept private?
All intake forms, consents and records are stored securely in Colib, an online practice management system that keeps data in Canada.
Can I buy more than one program?
Absolutely. Many families start with one Activity Guide and add more as they go.
What if my child has a special interest you don't have a program for yet?
Tell us! We're always building new programs, and we design them around what families are asking for.
Can I get this information in another format?
Yes. If you need any of our information, guides or forms in an accessible format, or need a different way to communicate with us, email us at familysocialathome@gmail.com and we'll work with you to find what works best, at no extra cost. We also welcome feedback about the accessibility of our website and programs.
What is your refund policy?
Since guides are digital and sent right away, purchases are non-refundable once the guide has been sent.
Ready to get started?
Request your program on Colib, fill out a short intake, and we'll send you everything you need to start connecting at home.
Get Started (opens in a new tab)