Group Therapy
What is group therapy?
Group therapy is a guided session where a small group of children work together with a trained therapist towards shared developmental goals — like talking, playing, sharing and managing feelings. Instead of working one-to-one alone, your child practises real skills with peers in real social moments, building communication, confidence and connection. It is often used alongside individual therapy, and a therapist plans every activity to invite the very skills each child is working on.
When children learn side by side — laughing, taking turns, cheering each other on — something quietly powerful happens.
In short
Group therapy is a guided session where a small group of children work together with a trained therapist towards shared developmental goals — like talking, playing, sharing or managing big feelings. Instead of one-to-one work alone, your child practises real skills with peers, in real social moments. It is a warm, structured way to build communication, confidence and social connection, often used alongside individual therapy.What group therapy looks like
In a typical group session, a small number of children (usually similar in age or stage) come together with one or more therapists in a play-rich, carefully planned space. The therapist sets up activities — songs, turn-taking games, pretend play, snack time, craft or movement — that naturally invite the very skills each child is working on.Group therapy is especially helpful for skills that only show up around other people: starting a conversation, waiting for a turn, reading another child's face, joining play, coping when something does not go their way, and making friends. A child might rehearse a word in individual speech therapy, then use it to ask a friend to pass the ball in group — turning practice into a living skill. Therapists gently coach in the moment, model what to do, and celebrate small wins, so children learn from each other as much as from the adult.
Groups vary: some focus on social communication, others on play, language, emotional regulation or early school-readiness routines. Group work usually complements — not replaces — individual sessions, so your child gets both focused attention and real-world rehearsal.
How to know if it might suit your child
Group therapy tends to suit children who have built some early skills one-to-one and are ready to try them with peers, or children whose main goals are social — sharing, turn-taking, friendships and group routines. Your child's therapist will advise on the right mix and timing, and there is no single 'correct' path; the blend is always individual.The Pinnacle way
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care, never from an app or form. Across [70+ centres](/) and 700+ therapists, our team looks at where your child is now and recommends the right blend — for many children that means individual speech therapy for focused goals, woven together with group sessions where those skills come alive among friends.Trusted sources
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association describes group intervention as a recognised, effective way to build social-communication skills; the American Academy of Pediatrics and HealthyChildren highlight the value of peer interaction for social and emotional development.Next step — Curious whether group sessions could help your child? Book a developmental screening and our team will recommend the right individual-and-group blend.
What to watch
Notice whether your child can practise skills with peers — taking turns, sharing, joining play, starting a conversation, coping when things do not go their way. Children who manage one-to-one but struggle in groups, or whose main goals are social, often benefit most from group sessions.
Try this at home
Create gentle group moments at home: invite one friend or cousin for a short turn-taking game, sing action songs together, or share a snack with simple 'your turn, my turn' play — small peer practice builds the same skills group therapy nurtures.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-10 · reviewed every 365 days
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
How is group therapy different from individual therapy?
Individual therapy gives your child focused one-to-one attention on specific goals, while group therapy lets them practise those skills with peers in real social moments — taking turns, sharing and making friends. Most children benefit from a blend of both, recommended by their therapist.
Is group therapy as effective as one-to-one sessions?
For social and communication goals, group therapy can be especially powerful because children learn from and with each other. It is not a lower-cost substitute — it is a different, complementary approach, and your therapist will advise the right mix for your child.
How many children are usually in a group?
Groups are kept small so every child gets attention and meaningful peer interaction, typically with children at a similar age or developmental stage, guided by one or more trained therapists.
Can my child do both individual and group therapy?
Yes — and many do. A common pattern is focused individual sessions to build a skill, then group sessions to use that skill with peers. Your Pinnacle team will recommend the right blend after a clinical assessment.