16 year old daughter struggling to make friends

[JoN19781978]

My daughter is 16 and really struggling to make friends, are there any groups in the area that people can recommend for her to meet people
Thanks

Hi, i cant recommend groups but just to give you some hope - i had zero friends in school. I was extremely shy. I never went out. Then i went to college, met my now husband at 19, travelled the word, happily married now in my 40s with children. I have a couple of friends, not many, but i am mostly happy.

What is going on with your daughter- did she ever have friends?

Is she in Y11 or Y12? College can be a positive experience for students who struggled socially at school.

Hello! I was in your daughter’s position 10 years ago. Can you tell us a bit more. Is she still in school? Or college? Once I started working (left school after GCSEs) is really when I flourished and made so many friendships. Is she into any sports? This is a great place to start

Hi thank you for sharing that has given me some hope. She’s in sixth form at the moment. She’s autistic and has always struggled to make friends as she is really shy, she’s tried volunteering but t hasn’t had any luck yet, she feels really lonely

Try and introduce her to a hobby for kids her age, or potentially a sport if she's into that. Is there a local youth centre near you? Ours is fantastic and most of the kids who go there are on the spectrum

My dd is autistic and can struggle with social dynamics, she's in year 6 and this is the first year she's ever had a group of friends

Bless her it’s difficult to know how to help them. I’ll have a look if there is a youth group in the area. Thank you

I feel for her, JoN.

Your daughter needs to learn to like herself, people who do are self assured and more attractive to others. If she has interests, things she is particularly good at and enjoys, that is a great comfort and will take her mind off being lonely. Encourage her to reaise she is worth something as an individual and to be independent. She'll find her way as time goes on.

What area are you from? This sounds really difficult and me heart goes out to her, 15/16 is a difficult age it seems for friendships.

Hi we’re from south London

No advice but in a similar situation. My DD is Y11, never goes out with anyone from school apparently ‘we don’t do that’. No local friends, and point blank refuses to go to any clubs. I just don’t know what to do.