Circle of Friends (disabled care)

The Circle of Friends approach is a method designed to increase the socialization and inclusion of a disabled person with their peers. A Circle of Friends consists of a "focus" child, for whom the group was established, six to eight classroom peers, and an adult facilitator who meet once weekly to socialize and work on specific goals. Most available resources about the Circle of Friends approach are geared toward its use with school-aged children with various difficulties.

Circle of Friends was originally developed in North America to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities and other difficulties in their local communities and in mainstream educational settings. In the past, it was more common for adults with disabilities to be confined to institutions, and for students with special educational needs to be educated in separate schools. The Circle of Friends approach coincides with a shift in societal attitudes toward inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream settings. It is intended to promote healthy friendships and to create and reinforce positive social experiences.

Although it was developed in North America, Circle of Friends has been implemented and researched extensively in the United Kingdom in a variety of settings, and with children of varying ages and difficulties. The approach is often used for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) because they have trouble developing social and communication skills. In general, children with emotional, behavioral and social problems may benefit from the approach because they are often isolated and lack peer groups.

In the educational setting, general guidelines exist for establishing a Circle of Friends.

Adapted versions of Circle of Friends exist. One version differs from the original approach in that the focus child is not absent for the initial class meeting. Others have described Circle of Friends meetings taking place on a daily basis.

Barrett, W. & Randall, L. (2004). Investigating the Circle of Friends approach: Adaptations and Implications for Practice. Educational Psychology in Practice, 20, 353-368.

Newton,C. and Wilson, D.  : Creating Circles of Friends, Inclusive Solutions (2010)

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