Shanghai Chosen Families
Helping and Supporting Parents of Kids with Special Learning Needs

About Us

Shanghai Chosen Families (formerly Shanghai Chosen Moms) is a group committed to providing support, education and information to the parents of special needs children in Shanghai. Children’s issues vary and can include Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorders, Dyslexia as well as general learning difficulties.

The group meets regularly at the Community Center in both Pudong (first and third Fridays of the month) and Minhang (second Wednesday). Meetings are designed to support our parents and provide a discrete forum where we can share the joys and frustrations of parenting a special needs child in Shanghai. The meeting held on the third Friday of the month in Pudong invites members of the special needs community, including educators and service providers, to meet in an informal setting and share information. The goal of our meetings is to strengthen our community to better serve our kids.

Shanghai Chosen Families currently has over fifty member families and is growing every day. To join as a member please refer to our section on ‘Membership’ below. For general enquiries or to contact us, please email us at shanghaichosenmoms@gmail.com.

Regular Meetings & Events

Informal Catch-Ups

These are a casual ‘parents only’ meeting where parents can informally share information and support one another. Meetings are held both in Pudong and Minhang.

COMMUNITY CENTER – PUDONG
- Meetings held first Friday of each month
- 11.15am to 12.45pm

COMMUNITY CENTER – MINHANG
- Meetings held second Wednesday of each month
- 11.00am to 12.00pm

N.B. No meetings are held from June through to the end of August.

Please email us for further information at shanghaichosenmoms@gmail.com

Guest Speaker Presentations

This meeting is held regularly on the third Friday of each month in Pudong and features guest speakers from a range of special needs providers including psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, ABA specialists, paediatricians and more. Members of the special needs community, including educators and service providers, are invited to meet in an informal setting and share information. Guest speaker meetings are also held in Minhang from time to time on the second Tuesday of every month.

Support Programs

1. Mom to Mom

‘Mom to Mom’ is a special mentoring program that involves the pairing of a ‘new mom’ (either new to Shanghai or new to a diagnosis) with that of an experienced mom who has lived in Shanghai for some time and/or has been dealing with a child with special needs for an extended time.

The goal of the mentoring or experienced mom is to offer individualized support, provide guidance on available service providers and when needed, provide respite care. By taking the time to learn about the new mom's life and the life of her special needs child (including its therapists and therapy schedules) the mentoring mom can offer real support and allow the new mom to settle in and cope better with the stress and anxiety often associated with raising a child with special needs.

The Mom to Mom program is also beneficial for expectant moms who have an older child with special needs. From time to time the mentoring mom may be able to step in and assist with taking the child with special needs to therapist appointments.

Please email Charyl Desouza at c.desouza@cnworldwide.com if you are interested in learning more about the program either as a ‘new mom’ or ‘mentoring mom’.

2. Social Skills Events

Shanghai Chosen Families runs social skills events and gatherings for kids with special needs. Our main goal is for the kids to have fun in a non-clinician setting. Social events are facilitated by skilled professionals who have experience working with special needs children.  

** REGULAR EVENT – SHANGHAI INSTRUCTIONAL BASKETBALL WITH JEFF KAPLIN
- All age groups. Includes dribbling relay races, follow the leader activities, jumping rope, shooting the basket and more.
- Saturdays 11.30am to 1.00pm
- Join anytime. Pay for five sessions. 1000 RMB per child for five weeks. 
- Location: British International School Pudong

For further information email our Social Skills Coordinator Elaine Leach at eleach04@hotmail.com.

3. Social Skill Groups

Shanghai Chosen Families also helps coordinate social skills groups. If you are interested in starting a social group and would like it facilitated by a qualified professional therapist please contact us. We will do our best to get the group going!

Special Events

From time to time Shanghai Chosen Families also runs special one off events such as seminars, tours and workshops on special needs topics. The events are designed to help educate our families and provide access to some of the best special needs providers and educators in Shanghai.

In May 2009 we held our first seminar on ‘Helping Kids with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders’. The event featured expert speakers Dr. Toby Mountjoy (Autism Partnership Hong Kong) and Dr. Jadis Blurton (founder and Clinical Director of Therapy Associates (HK) Ltd and covered the potential diagnostic and treatment plans available for children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The event was an amazing success and was attended by over 70 people. It provided an excellent opportunity for parents, educators, therapists and professionals to come together and learn how to enhance the lives of our children.  Stay tuned to this website for further details on special events.

Membership

Shanghai Chosen Families is a not for profit support group. Membership costs 200RMB per year or 100RMB per half year and cover a number of member benefits as well ancillary costs associated with running the group. Member benefits include:

  1. -Access to regular monthly special needs guest speakers. These include speech therapists, psychologists, OTs and more;
  2. -Priority invitations to one off special events such workshops, seminars and tours (special member price applies);
  3. -Access to a number of support programs including ‘Mom to Mom’ and Kids social skills groups or events;
  4. -Regular email updates;
  5. -Comprehensive directory of special needs providers; and
  6. -Link with special needs educators and providers.
To join as a member please print and fill out the following form and bring with you to one of our meetings (held the first and third Friday of each month). Please click here to download the file.

Service Providers

Navigating special needs service providers can be difficult enough in your home country – let alone Shanghai! To make life easier we have compiled a list of therapists that may be able to assist.

Please click here to download the file.

Therapists come and go in Shanghai so if you know of anyone new please contact us at shanghaichosenmoms@gmail.com.