At CWC, we often highlight "Social Emotional Learning" (SEL) as a vital approach to developing social skills and enhancing self-regulation strategies. SEL is the journey through which children and young individuals learn to recognize and understand their own emotions, as well as those of others. This process entails identifying specific feelings and progressing in ways that reflect their values. Moreover, SEL equips them with the skills to transition from recognizing emotions to engaging in behaviors that benefit themselves and others. The fundamental components of SEL include:

1. Self Awareness: recognizing and identifying emotion's and values

2. Self Management: engaging in behaviours that assist with coping with emotions and moving forward in a direction that is beneficial to oneself and others
3. Social Awareness: understanding how others feel, displaying empathy and compassion
4. Relationship Skills: communicating effectively, actively listening, cooperating with others, seeking help and putting effort towards resolving conflicts
5. Responsible Decision Making: making choices and moving forward in a positive way

(source Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning https://casel.org/about-us/)

At CWC we teach these skills through Applied Behaviour Analysis setting individualized goals, that are broken down into small achievable steps (meeting the child where they are at). We provide ample opportunities for practice and utilize reinforcement to solidify new skills while also planning for the transfer of learned skills to new environments and with different people. The ultimate goal of our SEL programming is to empower children and youth to grow and develop new skills that will enhance their emotional and social well-being, leading to a more fulfilling life.