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How The Ed Asner Family Center Supports Neurodiverse Children and Adults

Published June 29, 2026

Navah Paskowitz-Asner and Matt Asner are the founders of The Ed Asner Family Center.

The Ed Asner Family Center is one of the premier facilities in our community that serves neurodiverse children and adults. What makes it unique is not just the breadth of services it offers – from summer camp to job training to mental-health counseling and more – but the drivers behind it.

Matt and Navah Asner are long-time friends of L.A. Parent and champions for children with learning difference – with three of their own. They are passionate about giving all children who come through their doors the education and self-confidence to grow, and helping adults take steps toward independence. We featured Matt and Navah 10 years ago in this article that continues to be accessed through our website, but that was before they launched The Ed Asner Family Center.

When we ran into Matt and Navah recently and listened to what they are building, we knew it was time to share an update.

The Ed Asner Family Center offers programs and builds community for its participants.

L.A. Parent: What was the driving force to create The Ed Asner Family Center, what was your vision and when did you hatch the idea?

Matt Asner: Before founding The Ed Asner Family Center, I spent years working in leadership roles at Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America. Navah worked as a life coach to special needs families and also ran programing for Friendship Circle of The Pacific Palisades. Those experiences gave us a broad view of the autism community and the challenges families face, but they also showed us that there were still significant gaps in services and support, particularly as children became teens and adults.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: At a certain point, I remember saying to Matt, ‘We can keep working for other organizations, or we can build the place we wish existed for our own family. As parents of multiple autistic children, we understood the challenges firsthand. We weren’t just advocates, we were living it every day.

Matt Asner: The idea didn’t come from a business plan. It came from our kitchen table. We talked constantly about what families needed and what was missing. We wanted a place that wasn’t defined by limitations, but by opportunities.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: I envisioned a community where neurodivergent individuals could discover their strengths through the arts, build friendships, develop job skills and feel a genuine sense of belonging. I also wanted families to have support because autism affects the entire family, not just the individual.

Matt Asner: When we launched The Ed Asner Family Center in 2017, our vision was to create more than a service provider. We wanted to create a home. A place where people could come for therapy, recreation, employment training, social connection, mental-health support and creative expression, all under one roof.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: We didn’t set out to build a large organization. We set out to help families like ours. The growth has happened because the need is so great, and because families are looking for places where they feel seen, understood and accepted.

Matt Asner: Everything we do is rooted in the belief that neurodivergent individuals deserve opportunities to thrive, not just services to survive. That philosophy has guided us from day one and continues to drive our work today.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: The Ed Asner Family Center was born out of love for our children, but it has grown into something much bigger, a community where families know they are not alone.

L.A. Parent: How long did it take to find a location and then map out your programming?

Matt Asner: The idea for The Ed Asner Family Center came together relatively quickly, but finding the right home for it took time. We spent close to a year exploring locations, meeting with potential partners and trying to find a space that could accommodate the vision we had in mind. We weren’t looking for just another office or therapy center — we wanted a place where families would feel welcome the moment they walked through the door.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: At the same time, we were mapping out what the programming would look like. In many ways, the programs came before the building. We started by asking ourselves what our own children needed and what we wished had been available to our family over the years.

Matt Asner: Because of my experience at Autism Speaks and the Autism Society, I had seen many successful programs across the country. We took those lessons and combined them with our personal experience as parents. But there was another influence as well — my father, Ed Asner. He firmly believed that the arts build self-confidence. He saw it throughout his life and career, and he understood that when people are given opportunities to express themselves creatively, they begin to discover their voice and their value. That belief became one of the cornerstones of the Center.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: For me, one of the foundational pillars was mental health. Before Matt and I married, I was a single mother raising children with significant needs. I know what it feels like to carry the weight of caregiving, often without enough support. Families are so focused on helping their children that they frequently neglect their own self-care. I wanted to create a place that recognized that mental-health services are not a luxury, they are essential for both individuals and families.

Matt Asner: From the beginning, we knew we wanted arts programming and mental-health services to stand side by side. Too often, families are forced to piece together support from multiple places. We wanted to create a community where creative expression, emotional wellness, social connection and practical support could all exist under one roof.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: Just as important was our commitment to including autistic voices in the planning and delivery of our programs. I would never create programs for the autism community without the autism community helping to shape them.

Matt Asner: Some of our most valuable insights have come from autistic self-advocates, staff members, instructors and participants. Their lived experience helps us understand what works, what doesn’t and where we can do better. We believe that meaningful inclusion means having autistic individuals not only participate in programs but also help design, lead and evaluate them.

The Ed Asner Family Center offers a summer camp, job training, mental health counseling and enrichment activities.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: Today, autistic staff members and facilitators have leadership roles throughout the Center. They bring authenticity, perspective and mentorship that simply can’t be replicated. For many participants, seeing autistic adults in leadership positions changes what’s possible in their minds. It allows them to envision a future for themselves.

Matt Asner: The vision evolved organically. We began with camps, arts programming and social opportunities, but we always knew we wanted to build something comprehensive. As we listened to families, it became clear that they needed more than one service. They needed a community.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: Looking back, the planning never really stopped. The Center continues to evolve because the needs of our community evolve. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of: we’ve never been afraid to listen, learn and grow alongside the families we serve.

L.A. Parent: The values of TEAFC are Inclusion, Family and Hope. How did you select those and how are they woven into the culture of your business?

Matt Asner: At its core, The Ed Asner Family Center reflects the values that shaped our family: my father’s belief that the arts foster confidence and connection, Navah’s conviction that mental-health support can change the trajectory of an entire family, and our shared belief that autistic individuals should have a seat at the table when decisions are being made. Those ideas continue to guide everything we do today.

L.A. Parent: How many families do you serve?

Matt Asner: The Ed Asner Family Center serves hundreds of families each year through our camps, arts programs, employment initiatives, social groups, mental-health services and community events, and our reach extends well beyond the individuals enrolled in our programs because we support entire families.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: What makes our approach unique is that we’re not just serving one person — we’re supporting parents, siblings, caregivers and loved ones as well. When one family member thrives, the entire family benefits. That’s why we’ve always viewed our mission through a family-centered lens. Whether it’s a child attending Camp Ed, a young adult participating in our Academy employment program or a parent receiving counseling and support, our goal is to create a community where families feel connected, empowered and understood.

L.A. Parent: Is there a program(s) you are especially proud of?

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: If I had to choose one program, it would be the Academy. When we started The Ed Asner Family Center, we knew there were limited opportunities for neurodivergent adults after high school. Too many families were facing a future filled with uncertainty, isolation and a lack of meaningful options. The Academy was created to change that. What makes me most proud is that we’ve built a program that sees the whole person. Participants can explore the arts, develop job skills, build friendships, improve their independence and discover what they are capable of in a supportive environment. We’ve watched individuals who were once hesitant to leave home grow into confident adults who are volunteering, working, creating art, making music and contributing to their communities. The Academy embodies everything we hoped The Center could be: a place where neurodivergent adults are celebrated for their strengths, given opportunities to thrive, and surrounded by a community that believes in them. Seeing that transformation happen every day is what makes me the proudest.

L.A. Parent: What’s next for you and for TEAFC?

Matt Asner: What’s next for TEAFC is continuing to grow thoughtfully while staying true to our mission. We want to expand opportunities for neurodivergent adults, particularly in employment, residential living, social connection and the arts. The need is greater than ever and we’re constantly listening to our community to understand where we can make the biggest impact.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: For me, the future is about deepening what we’ve already built. We want to create more pathways to meaningful employment, expand our mental-health services, grow our residential options and continue strengthening the Academy so that more neurodivergent adults can find purpose, confidence and community. One of the greatest concerns families have is what happens when parents are no longer able to provide support. We want to help create safe, supportive living environments where neurodivergent adults can live as independently and fully as possible. At the end of the day, our goal hasn’t changed. We want The Ed Asner Family Center to be a place where families know they belong and where neurodivergent individuals of all ages have the opportunity to thrive. As long as there are families looking for support, we’ll keep evolving to meet their needs.

L.A. Parent: Anything else to share?

Matt Asner: One thing I’ve come to believe through both my personal journey and my work is that everyone deserves a chance. Before I was an advocate, I was a kid who struggled. In a piece I recently wrote about my childhood, I talked about feeling different, dealing with anxiety and often feeling like I didn’t quite fit in. Those experiences gave me empathy for people who are overlooked or underestimated. What I’ve learned is that when people are given support, encouragement and the opportunity to discover their strengths, incredible things can happen. Too often, society focuses on limitations instead of possibilities. At The Ed Asner Family Center, we try to do the opposite. We look for potential.

Navah Paskowitz-Asner: Every person deserves to be seen, valued and given the opportunity to succeed on their own terms. That’s what drives me every day.

The Ed Asner Family Center is located at 16340 Roscoe Blvd. in Van Nuys and is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. Visits and tours are by appointment only, and the phone number is 818-302-0712.

San Gabriel Valley Panthers: SoCal’s First Competitive Beep Baseball Team

Published September 16, 2025

By Connor Merrihew

In beep baseball, a buzzing ball helps blind and visually impaired players when they are at bat. PHOTOS COURTESY CONNOR MERRIHEW

How a local team is breaking barriers and building community through the accessible sport of beep baseball for blind and visually impaired athletes.

Beep baseball is an accessible sport enabling individuals who are blind or visually impaired to play a competitive version of the game. Using sound instead of visual cues, a beeping ball and buzzing bases provide audio to assist players in hitting, fielding and running. Since its debut in the 1960s, beep baseball has evolved into an organized sport with teams competing in regional, national and international tournaments. It offers more than just physical activity by promoting inclusion, teamwork and the opportunity for athletes to challenge themselves in competition.

The San Gabriel Valley Panthers are Southern California’s first competitive beep baseball team. Founded in 2018 by South Pasadena resident Darren Keepers, 37, who was motivated to bring the joys of playing sports to blind and visually impaired people like himself, the Panthers have now grown to more than 15 players and a group of volunteers, including students. For Keepers, beep baseball is not only fun and exciting, but also a way he can compete on an equal stage.

“Beep baseball is freedom,” says Keepers. “It’s one of the few places where I can compete hard, push myself and not be held back by my blindness. And it’s a way to build something bigger than myself, creating opportunities and community for people who are often overlooked.”

Following a set of adapted rules, each beep baseball team has six defensive players on the field, all wearing blindfolds to ensure fairness regardless of their level of vision. The pitcher and catcher are sighted and work closely with the batter, using consistent verbal cues to help time the swing. The ball makes a steady beeping sound, allowing players to track it by ear. In beep baseball, only first and third bases are used. When a batter hits the ball, one of the bases is randomly activated to buzz, signaling the direction the runner must go. A run is scored when batters reach the buzzing base before a defensive player fields the beeping ball.

The Panthers practice throughout most of the year at McDonald Park in Pasadena to maintain their skills and prepare for the National Beep Baseball World Series. “The thing that sticks with me the most about our players is how fearless they are,” says Panthers Coach Colbey Haney. “Beep baseball is much more physical than most people realize. Players are running full speed and tackling a foam base and tumbling to the ground, or they are throwing their bodies on the ground to stop a 1-pound ball rocketing toward them with an arm or leg or stomach or wherever the ball makes contact. It’s absolutely mind blowing when you think about the sheer determination needed to compete in this sport.”

Players field the ball following buzzing sound cues.

Beep baseball provides a tight-knit community for players, families and volunteers and a space where people feel connected, supported and empowered. As Keepers describes, “Beep baseball gives people a reason to show up, for themselves and for others. I’ve seen players who were shy or uncertain find their voice, footing, confidence, passion and more,” he says. “This sport builds confidence in ways that carry into the rest of life. The connections run deep. Players and volunteers become more than teammates, they become family. Everyone knows they belong, and that kind of bond makes us stronger both on and off the field.”

The Panthers will host a “Dining in the Dark” event on Sat., Oct. 4, in Pomona, in which visually impaired players will lead sighted people through a “dinner in the dark” to raise money for the team to attend the 2026 Beep Baseball World Series. Get tickets $100-$5,000: socalbeepbaseball.org.

Connor Merrihew is an editorial intern at L.A. Parent. A high school senior at Harvard Westlake, he founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit Team Preemie, and his writing has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter.

Sensory-Friendly Mornings at Discovery Cube Los Angeles

Published January 2, 2025

Loud noises, flashing lights and children running around, often away from their parents. This is what you find at many large-scale venues and indoor play centers. Even movie theaters. It’s not a recipe for success for a parent who has a child with sensory issues.

Many of our children’s museums in the Los Angeles area realize this and offer dedicated sensory-friendly times so that families in our community can enjoy them on their own terms. Without the noise, without the crowds and without the chaos.

Discovery Cube Los Angeles, just off the 210 freeway in Sylmar, has rolled out its Sensory Friendly Sundays, which take place on the third Sunday of every month from 8 to 10 a.m., and you’re going to like what you find when you visit.

After you park in the large (free) lot across the street, walk in to find early admission dedicated to guests and members with sensory sensitivities, and onsite tools including:

Noise-reducing headphones
A sensory friendly map
Visual cue cards
Increased staffing
Background music turned off
Quiet spaces available

Discovery Cube even provides sensory backpacks, while supplies last.

If there was ever a place that all families should enjoy, it’s Discovery Cube. With its locations in Los Angeles and Orange County, each is a feast for a child’s senses. At the Los Angeles location you’ll find a multitude of exhibits, each allowing kids to touch, feel and engage. There are three featured exhibits: DC Super Heroes, The Race to Zero Waste and The Coaches Corner that was produced with an assist from the L.A. Kings – plus the Physics lab: The Raceway, where guests will learn about friction, drag, energy, speed and acceleration.

Want more? There’s Cube Studios, which is an interactive broadcast booth where kids tell stories about the environment and climate change from their perspective. There’s Eco Challenge: Planetary Research Station to explore space science, and there are three different Earth & Environment exhibits that allow kids to touch an aquifer, a helicopter and even a market as they learn about healthy and eco-friendly shopping choices.

Add a climbing wall to all of that, and even two on-site cafés, and you have more than enough reasons to visit.

The team at Discovery Cube inspires and educates young minds through engaging science-based programs and exhibits to create a meaningful impact on the communities it serves. The Los Angeles location is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and here are the Sensory-Friendly Sundays that have early hours from 8 to 10 a.m. dedicated to you:

January 19
February 16
March 16
April 20
May 18
June 15
July 20

Discovery Cube Los Angeles is located at 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar, 91342.

Building our Community

Published December 4, 2024

By Ron Epstein

Our L.A. Parent team: Meaghan, Chelsea, Ron, Nina, Cindy, Cassandra and Elena.

When L.A. Parent launched our Inclusive L.A. newsletter in 2013, it connected us to families like yours – and to some wonderful brands in our community that have programs for our children who learn differently, have sensory issues or other challenges. We uncovered educational programs and summer camps, social-skill building programs, theater classes and more – all for your kids and all taught by caring instructors, many of whom have children of their own who are on the autism spectrum.

The more programs we featured, the wider our community grew. Moms and dads continue to tell us that they turn to L.A. Parent – through this newsletter, our website, our socials and our magazine – and that is beyond gratifying for our team because each one of us is a parent, too.

Today, the newsletter that you are reading has won several national awards for its content, and that’s a source of immense pride for us. And if you find the info here helpful, you’ll find even more on LAParent.com: more events for our neurodiverse friends, more parenting tips and more resources near you that will help.

We’ll keep sharing what we uncover, be it a singing program like The Miracle Project, a ballet program like Ballet for All Kids, a computer animation studio and non-profit digital arts school such as Exceptional Minds or job placement programs – and there are a few of those for adults with Autism. And we hope you’ll stay connected with us because we’re part of your community.

If you have family or friends who may enjoy keeping up on the people, products and programs we write about in the inclusive community, have them sign up for this newsletter. We send it out on the first Wednesday of each month, and it’s an easy read. It’s also free. The more people we help, the better we’re doing our job. You can sign up using this link – just type Inclusive in the Message field – or you can send me a note with the your name and email and I’ll take care of it. My email is ron.epstein@laparent.com.

On behalf of the parents who make up the L.A. Parent team – Elena, Cassandra, Nina, Cindy, Chelsea and Meaghan – we wish you and your family and wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year.

Ron Epstein

Publisher

Meet: The Painted Turtle

Published March 15, 2024

L.A. Parent Team

Here in Los Angeles, we’re blessed with dozens of summer-camp options for our kids. If your child is into coding or sports, comedy, theater or robotics, or almost anything else, chances are there is a great summer-camp program for them.

You’ll find many of these listed in our Summer Camp Guide, which is a great tool for parents. In recent years, we’ve uncovered (and added) camps that offer leadership, international travel and much more.

But The Painted Turtle is unique. It began as a dream in 1999 when Paul Newman and Page Adler, along with a group of other dedicated individuals, co-founded The Painted Turtle to let kids with medical conditions just be kids – completely free of charge.

We asked Anthony Plamondon, development and communications manager, to share his thoughts on what makes it such a special place.

“Started in the early 2000s, The Painted Turtle is a camp experience for kids with serious medical conditions that is located on 175 acres in the beautiful Angeles National Forest, about 90 min north of Los Angeles,” he says. “The mission of The Painted Turtle is to provide a year-round, life-changing environment and authentic camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions. The Painted Turtle supports children’s medical needs, inspires them to reach beyond their illnesses and provides care, education and respite for their families. All campers and families attend completely free of charge.”

The Painted Turtle serves 120 different medical conditions each year and has provided more than 180,000 camp experiences to children and their families. Its programs include Family Weekends for children ages 6-17 and their families, and Summer Camp for children ages 7-16. The adaptive activity areas the camp offers include archery, swimming in the pool yoga, fishing, horseback riding, ropes and more. Anthony notes that all programs are “challenge by choice,” meaning staff celebrates the courage of all campers who try new things and challenge their comfort zones.

The Painted Turtle offers year-round programs with dedicated staff and the generosity of hundreds of volunteers every year to accomplish its mission.

For Anthony, the most gratifying part of the being on the team is the values they deliver. “It’s a magical and authentic camp experience (for these kids),” he says.

To learn more about The Painted Turtle, whether it’s registering your child or family, or volunteering, visit t hepaintedturtle.org, email staff@thepaintedturtle.org or call 310-451-1353.

Meet The Blind Children’s Center

Published February 13, 2024

L.A. Parent Team

Parents in Los Angeles are fortunate to have a number, and often a variety, of top-tier facilities and programs to help our children, from various types of therapists and therapies to learning aids and tools.

Add the Blind Children’s Center (BCC) to that list.

Developed in 1938 through the foresight of a dedicated team of Southern California Delta Gamma Fraternity alumnae volunteers, it was led by UCLA’s retiring Head of Medicine, Dr. Lillian Titcomb. Together, they founded the Nursery School for Visually Handicapped Children in a private home and, in 1954, expanded to build BCC’s current permanent home in East Hollywood to serve more children and families in the community. The Blind Children’s Center was the first of five schools founded as part of Delta Gamma Fraternity’s Service for Sight initiative.

The BCC prepares infants, toddlers and preschoolers of all abilities to thrive through inclusive, family-focused early childhood education, with a specialized focus on children who are blind or visually impaired. But its programs have been expanded in recent years to bring children with vision loss, autism, disabilities and/or complex medical conditions together with their typically developing peers to create inclusive environments where all children can experience belonging and reach their potential.

And more growth is coming. In partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the BCC broke ground in June 2023 to expand its facility infrastructure, build additional classrooms, install a nature-based playground and more. Renovations will enable BCC to increase enrollment to serve nearly 100 students each year, according to Jasmin Joya, community relations manager.

“The Blind Children’s Center serves children from birth to 5 years old and pregnant mothers,” Joya says, noting that the center offers these programs:

Inclusive Infant/Toddler Early Head Start Programs. The Infant Program is for pregnant mothers and children from birth to 3 years old. Parents/caregivers and their children meet two days per week for three hours in a small group setting that is staffed by Parent Educators
Center-Based Toddler Program is for children from 18-36 months-old, is fully inclusive, has small size classes in the BCC’s licensed child-care center and is staffed by teachers.
The Inclusive Preschool Head Start Program is for children 3-5 years old, also offers small size classes in its licensed childcare center and is staffed by a teacher and two associates.

BCC’s programs provide comprehensive education, health, mental health and nutrition services, as well as coordinated therapeutic services, including sensory development, orientation and mobility, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech/language development and braille pre-literacy skills. Joya notes that the BCC served more than 50 families last year.

We asked Bianca Ciebrant, BCC Program Director, about the most gratifying part of her job. “It comes years after the family has left BCC,” she says. “When students return to visit when they are in 3^rd grade, 7^th grade, high school and share their own stories of successes, challenges and accomplishments, that is most gratifying. When their parents say, ‘Remember when the teacher worked every day with him on a particular skill, and now he shows others how to do it!’ Or ‘Remember how much I hated to do something and now it’s my favorite thing to do!’ When families share those stories and are really reflecting on the dedication that BCC staff had with their child to guide and teach them, always touches my heart.”

“Another gratifying moment comes when parents become advocates and join organizations for children with visual impairments or special needs on higher levels.,” Bianca adds. “We currently have a mom who has been with us for over 10 years as her older child attended BCC and now her younger child. Both children have special needs. She started as a quiet, new parent and now is the chair of our Policy Committee and represents BCC on a county level at the LACOE PC meetings. To see her growth over the past 10 years and know that this is just the beginning, makes me proud of the work we do.”

To learn more about the BCC, visit blindchildrenscenter.org.

Check Out These Inclusive Camps Serving Campers of all Abilities

Published March 8, 2022

By Tonilyn Hornung

Design Hive aims to give kids access to cutting-edge, hands-on programming. PHOTO COURTESY DESIGN HIVE

While making your summer plans this year, consider checking out an inclusive summer camp as a way for your kids to spend some quality time with children of all learning and physical abilities. According to the American Camp Association, an inclusive camp is one that creates space for all children, regardless of ability, race, language and income, to be integral members of a community, feel a connection to their peers, have access to meaningful activities and receive the support needed to succeed.

These are the core tenets upon which Design Hive, located in Mid-City L.A., was, well, designed.

Science teacher Lauren Arshad and technology teacher Jennifer Cefaly founded Design Hive so kids could have access to cutting-edge, hands-on programming. Primarily a science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) workshop, the program also focuses on helping develop children’s emerging fine and gross motor skills.

Design Hive is intended to be flexible. A regular day runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the model allows for attending half or full days, and you can decide whether one or several days a week work best for your family. There are virtual options in place as well. Arshad says they serve children of many different backgrounds and physical abilities in ages ranging from 5-12 years. “We’re good at paying attention to the needs of the individual student and providing opportunities for them to excel,” she says.

The world’s a stage — for all

For your tweens and teens, check out California State University, Northridge’s six-week Teenage Drama Workshop, a camp that has inclusivity written into its script. CSUN has been educating kids ages 11-18 in the theater arts for the past 64 years.

Executive Director Garry Lennon says the goal has always been to create a safe environment for students to learn about theater. “We have kids of all learning abilities,” Lennon says. “Our approach is making everything as inclusive as possible and in an encouraging environment.”

The program’s core curriculum includes acting, dancing and singing. Students can add elective classes in areas such as improvisation, puppetry and playwriting, and they have the opportunity to be cast in either a musical or non-musical play, with rehearsals happening in the afternoons during camp time. Through the magic of performance art, Lennon says, staff members help guide students in discovering who they are and who they want to become.

Focusing on friendship

Camp James is an inclusion-based camp in Newport Dunes. PHOTO COURTESY CAMP JAMES

For 33 years, Camp James, located in Newport Dunes, has offered kids (ages 4-13) an inclusion-based camp experience. Executive Director Scottie Roach says Camp James is committed to meeting children where they are and offering campers the opportunity to play and grow with their peers. Camp James works together with parents/caregivers to help campers of all abilities feel a sense of belonging. “Kids just want to be accepted for who they are,” Roach says.

Camp James focuses on a child’s whole being, which is why the camp offers a wide range of activities. From arts and crafts to bounce houses to canoes and kayaks, children are able to step into a new experience or solidify established interests during their four-week day camp. All activities are intended to get the creativity flowing and support kids in cultivating friendships.

Chani Mintz, director of The Friendship Circle in Newport Beach, says the program’s main goal is to give kids a sense of feeling included. “Every child deserves to have friends,” she says. The Friendship Circle “seeks to provide every individual with special needs the support, friendship and inclusion that they deserve.

“We do lots of field trips that can accommodate all kinds of kids,” Mintz continues. When the campers aren’t taking trips, they’re engaging in onsite activities such as arts and crafts, music, dance and sports.

Solving social mysteries

If you’re looking for an inclusive camp that centers learning and playing in small groups, then all clues lead to Social Detective Academy in North Hollywood. Jeffrey Jessum, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who works with adults and kids on social-emotional intelligence across the development spectrum, founded the academy.

Social Detective Academy in North Hollywood focuses on small groups. PHOTO COURTESY SOCIAL DETECTIVE ACADEMY

In the summer camp program, children ages 6-12 are given opportunities to learn how to navigate social terrain through structured activities. “We teach verbal/nonverbal communication and listening skills,” Jessum says. Campers spend their days making new friends and solving “social mysteries” designed to increase awareness, self-regulation, creativity, mind/body connection and social/emotional aptitude.

This year, Social Detective Academy is focusing on a group experience of six kids per group. “We will continue doing the social-skills groups, which is a microcosm of camp,” Jessum explains. Children have the opportunity to practice their social skills with a strong emphasis on cultivating healthy, good relationships with their peers. Jessum says the program benefits all campers and develops a culture of acceptance for everyone.

Getting kindergarten-ready

The Child Success Center in West L.A. has programming for young campers. PHOTO COURTESY CHILD SUCCESS CENTER

If you’re searching for a camp for your littles, the Child Success Center in West L.A. is ready for you. Camp Director Melissa Idelson, a pediatric/sensory integration trained occupational therapist, founded the Child Success Center so children who are struggling with learning and socializing have a place where they can feel safe and successful. “Our kindergarten readiness camp is for parents seeking to enrich their child’s readiness skills,” she says.

With 10 kids per class for two- to three-week sessions, this camp provides help in areas such as social and fine motor skills.

“For a child that needs a small play learning environment, with a kindergarten readiness emphasis, this has been a beautiful camp,” Idelson says. The Child Success Center also offers camps for kids ages 6 to 8. The Social Brain Building Camp is run by a therapist and is a week-long camp with eight kids to a class. Idelson says the camp centers work on taking social perspectives, group dynamics and sensory motor play.

Offering structure and diversity

If a more specialized summer camp fits your child’s needs, The Help Group provides services to children with a variety of needs. “We’re most known for our programming for children and young adults that service the entire autism spectrum,” says Laurie Stephens, Ph.D., and senior director of autism and LGBTQIA+ programs.

The Help Group’s summer programs includes camps that focus on social skills development where the goals encompass teamwork and high-level conversation, as well as camps that offer more activity-based courses such as sports and/or cooking and travel camps.

“The number one thing is that our programs are designed to go with the camper’s interests and make them feel comfortable,” Stephens says. This support can look like taking breaks from activities when needed with access to sensory materials. The Help Group works to accommodate as many students as is safe, she says, and creates a space for kids to interact in a way that bolsters confidence and learning.

Meeting twice-exceptional kids’ needs

Seeking to create an “immersive ecosystem” for twice-exceptional (2E) children and their families, Samuel Young founded the Young Scholars Academy. “Twice-exceptional students can be gifted in one area and struggle in others,” Young says.

A virtual program, Young Scholars Academy offers classes and camps that support 2E students year-round. Its summer camps are capped at eight students per class so kids can build lasting friendships. “The backbone of this program has been to connect with students around the world,” Young says.

Virtual campers ages 8-18 can choose from hour-long courses such as speech and debate, engineering, sketching and even a class in Dungeons and Dragons. Young says having an hour a week to have your strengths appreciated builds confidence, and kids leave the academy feeling proud of their accomplishments.

Choosing the right inclusive camp

If you’re unsure an inclusive camp is right for your child, Roach of Camp James advises calling the camp and asking questions specific to your child’s needs. This approach is also supported by Un d ivided, an organization that aims to help parents who are raising kids with disabilities dream bigger and achieve more through community, collective knowledge and resource support.

Undivided recommends asking camps these three critical questions when searching for an inclusive camp:

Do you have experience working with kids with disabilities? I’d love to speak to the camp director to see if the camp could be a good fit for my child.

Tip: Think about specific accommodations your child might need to be successful and ask how the camp can support them.

Can a 1:1 aide accompany my child to provide extra support?

Tip: Some camps put extra restrictions on the number of people allowed due to COVID-19. Aides take up one of those spaces, so it’s important to ask how that factors in.

How do you encourage socialization with kids who might communicate, behave or interact in unique ways?

Tip: Go deeper by asking whether the camp enthusiastically supports inclusive play, accessibility, camp buddies, peer modeling and celebrating each child for who they are.

An inclusive camp can have positive benefits for all, including boosting self-esteem and increasing compassion. “Many kids who have vulnerabilities are struggling with isolation as a contributing factor, and part of the healing will involve helping kids be a part of communities and groups,” Jessum says.

Tonilyn Hornung is an author and freelance writer who lives with her husband, son, many furry friends and never enough closet space.