Beyond Social Skills: Helping Neurodivergent Kids Build Authentic Friendships

Friendship and connection look different for every child. This neurodiversity-affirming panel explores how to support neurodivergent kids in building meaningful relationships by first understanding what connection means to them.

Our panelists will discuss how to identify your child's unique social goals, use curiosity and motivational interviewing to better understand the relationships they are seeking, and create opportunities for connection through shared interests, supportive communities, and authentic engagement. You'll learn practical strategies for helping children recognize their strengths, develop self-advocacy, and navigate the social world with greater confidence.

We'll explore the hidden curriculum of social interaction—the unwritten cues and expectations that shape everyday interactions—and how to help children become "social detectives" who notice, interpret, and make choices about social situations. Together, we'll discuss ways to support social awareness, flexibility, and communication while honoring each child's individual needs and identity.

Join us for practical, strengths-based strategies to help your child find belonging and build relationships in ways that feel meaningful to them.

This event will be recorded and emailed to all RSVPs.

This event will have live Spanish translation.

Amanda Morin is a nationally recognized neurodiversity advocate, educator, speaker, and award-winning author with more than 25 years of experience in education. She is Head of School at Compass High School and has worked extensively with educators, parents, and organizations to advance inclusive, accessible, and neurodiversity-affirming education. She is the author of six books and serves on advisory boards including Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project and the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media & Youth Mental Health.

Heather Erba, M.Ed., PhD, is a special education expert and co-founder of ConnectED with extensive experience as a teacher, behavioral therapist, researcher, university faculty member, and family education specialist. Her work focuses on applying multidisciplinary research to understand complex developmental profiles, designing individualized interventions, and helping schools take a whole-child approach to behavior and engagement. She holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Special Education from UNC Chapel Hill, with a focus on young children with autism, and has conducted research on autism, Fragile X syndrome, and early intervention.

Sam Young, M.Ed., is the CEO of Young Scholars Academy, a strength-based, virtual village that empowers gifted and twice-exceptional students to thrive! Sam is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, TEDx presenter, Keynote speaker, and a neurodivergent person himself who has committed his life to supporting clever, quirky students to overcome the harmful deficit-based system and discover, develop their superpowers, and lead strength-based, talent-focused lives!