Circle of Friends: The Complete Teacher's Guide to Peer-Supported Inclusion
Create effective Circle of Friends interventions with this step-by-step guide. Set up peer support networks that reduce isolation and build inclusion.
As a teacher, you know the challenge of helping isolated or rejected students find their place in the classroom community. This complete guide to Circle of Friends will walk you through everything you needto successfully implement this powerful peer-supported inclusion approach, from initial setup to ongoing management. Circle of Friends is a structured intervention that mobilises classmates to create a supportive network around vulnerable children, helping them build meaningful connections and feel truly valued. By the end of this guide, you'll have the confidence and practical tools to transform your classroom into an inclusive environment where every child can thrive socially and academically.
Key Takeaways
15 Strategies for Running Successful Circle of Friends Groups
- Gain Informed Consent: Ensure the focus child and their parents fully understand and agree to the approach.
- Select Volunteers Carefully: Choose peer volunteers who are empathetic, reliable, and genuinely motivated to help.
- Train Circle Members: Prepare volunteers with understanding of the focus child's needs and effective support strategies.
- Establish Clear Ground Rules: Create agreements about confidentiality, respect, and commitment from all members.
- Meet Regularly: Schedule consistent weekly meetings to maintain momentum and address ongoing challenges.
- Use a Skilled Facilitator: Ensure an adult with strong group facilitation skills leads the sessions.
- Set Achievable Goals: Work with the group to identify specific, measurable targets for supporting the focus child.
- Celebrate Small Wins: Recognise and celebrate progress, no matter how incremental it may seem.
- Problem-Solve Together: Use group discussions to generate creative solutions to challenges that arise.
- Include Unstructured Time: Create opportunities for natural friendship development outside formal meetings.
- Monitor Wellbeing: Check in regularly with all members, including volunteers, about their experience.
- Communicate with Parents: Keep all families informed about the circle's progress and activities.
- Plan for Transitions: Prepare for changes such as class moves or new members joining the circle.
- Review and Adapt: Regularly evaluate what's working and adjust the approach as needed.
- Plan for Ending: When appropriate, gradually reduce support while maintaining natural friendships that have developed.
- Peer-Powered Inclusion: Circle of Friends harnesses the social power of classmates rather than relying solely on adult intervention. Peers are trained to befriend, support, and problem-solve alongside the focus child, creating natural social connections that generalise beyond structured sessions
- The Focus Child Does Not Attend Setup: The initial class session introducing Circle of Friends happens without the focus child present. This allows honest discussion about difficulties while building peer empathy and understanding
- Regular Weekly Meetings: The circle meets weekly with an adult facilitator to celebrate successes, identify challenges, and problem-solve together. These meetings keep momentum going and prevent the intervention from fading away
- Benefits Flow Both Ways: Research shows that peer volunteers gain as much as the focus child, developing empathy, social skills, and a sense of purpose. Many schools report cultural shifts towards greater acceptance across the whole school
Circle of Friends at a Glance: What It Is & Why It Works
Circle of Friends is a structured peer support intervention that creates a supportive network around socially isolated children. The approach mobilises classmates to provide friendship and problem-solving support rather than relying solely on adult intervention. It was developed in Canada during the early 1990s for inclusive education.
Circle of Friends (CoF) is a structured intervention that creates a supportive peer group around a child who is struggling socially. The approach is used for children who may be isolated due to autism, learning difficulties, behavioural challenges, physical disabilities, or any circumstance that has led to social exclusion.
The core idea is simple: children are often the best resource for helping other children. Adults can facilitate, but genuine peer friendships and acceptance come from peers themselves. Circle of Friends provides a structured way to mobilise this peer support.
The approach was originally developed by Jack Pearpoint, Marsha Forest, and Judith Snow in Canada as part of the inclusion movement. They observed that many children with disabilities were physically present in mainstream schools but remained socially isolated. Circle of Friends was designed to address this social inclusion gap.
Newton, Taylor, and Wilson subsequently adapted and popularised the approach in the UK during the 1990s, where it became widely used in schools supporting children with special educational needs.
Core Philosophy Behind Circle of Friends
Circle of Friends is grounded in specific values:
Full Inclusion for All: Every child has the right to belong and have an equal place in their school community. Physical placement is not enough; genuine social inclusion requires active effort.
Relationships Matter: Learning happens best when children feel safe, valued, and connected. Academic inclusion without social inclusion is incomplete.
Peer Influence is Powerful: Children pay attention to what their peers think and do. Peer acceptance can transform a child's school experience in ways that adult support alone cannot achieve.
Everyone Benefits: This is not charity. Peer volunteers develop empathy, social skills, and leadership abilities. The school community becomes more inclusive for everyone.
Who Benefits from Circle of Friends?
Circle of Friends benefits children experiencing social isolation due to autism, learning difficulties, behavioural challenges, or physical disabilities. Both the focus child and peer volunteers gain from the intervention, with research showing peers develop increased empathy and social skills whilst supporting their classmate.
Circle of Friends can support any child experiencing social difficulties, including:
The approach is particularly effective when a child has become isolated from peers and needs active support to rebuild social connections.
Four Circles Model Explained
The Four Circles Model maps relationships in concentric rings around a child: Circle 1 contains family and closest relationships, Circle 2 includes good friends, Circle 3 has acquaintances and activity partners, and Circle 4 represents paid relationships like teachers and professionals.
Circle of Friends uses a powerful visual tool called the "relationship circles" or "four circles" model. This helps children understand the different levels of relationship in everyone's life.
Circle 1: The Circle of Intimacy
This innermost circle contains the people closest to us who we could not imagine living without. Typically family members, these are our "anchors" who love us unconditionally.
Circle 2: The Circle of Friendship
The second circle contains close friends and relatives. These are our "allies" who we would confide in and expect to support us. We choose to spend time with these people.
Circle 3: The Circle of Participation
This circle contains people we see regularly through activities: classmates, club members, neighbours, colleagues. We interact frequently but do not have deep personal connections.
Circle 4: The Circle of Exchange
The outer circle contains people paid to be in our lives: teachers, doctors, support workers, shop assistants. These relationships are functional rather than personal.
This model is used during setup to helpchildren identify gaps in their support network. A child with few people in Circles 1-3 may be vulnerable and isolated. The goal of Circle of Friends is to help move peers from Circle 3 into Circle 2, creating a stronger support system.
Implementing Circle of Friends: A Step-by-Step Guide
Circle of Friends can transform a child's school experience, but success depends on careful implementation. These are the key steps:
1. Identify a Suitable Focus Child
Choose a child who is experiencing social isolation and would benefit from peer support. Consider their readiness for the intervention; the child should be willing to participate and comfortable with their peers knowing about their difficulties. Obtain parental consent before proceeding.
2. Recruit a Facilitator
The facilitator guides the process and supports the circle. This is typically a teacher, teaching assistant, or school counsellor. The facilitator needs good communication skills, empathy, and the ability to manage group dynamics.
3. Select Peer Volunteers
Choose 4-8 classmates who are empathetic, reliable, and well-respected by their peers. Consider children with diverse interests and backgrounds to create a balanced group. Explain the purpose of Circle of Friends and invite them to participate voluntarily.
4. Initial Class Session (Without the Focus Child)
This initial session is crucial. Explain the concept of Circle of Friends to the class, emphasising that everyone needs support sometimes. Use the Four Circles model to illustrate different types of relationships. Discuss the challenges faced by the focus child in a sensitive and non-judgemental way. Encourage the peer volunteers to share their perspectives and build empathy. Brainstorm specific ways the circle can support the focus child, such as including them in games, sitting with them at lunch, or helping them with schoolwork.
5. First Circle Meeting (With the Focus Child)
Introduce the peer volunteers to the focus child in a positive and welcoming way. Explain that the circle is there to support them and help them feel more included. Review the ideas generated in the previous session and agree on initial goals. Keep this first meeting brief and focus on building rapport.
6. Regular Weekly Meetings
The circle meets weekly with the facilitator for 30-45 minutes. These meetings provide a structured opportunity to: * Celebrate successes and positive interactions. * Identify challenges and difficulties. * Brainstorm solutions and strategies. * Reinforce the values of friendship, empathy, and inclusion. The facilitator guides the discussion, ensures everyone has a chance to speak, and helps the circle stay focused on their goals.
Troubleshooting Common Challenges
Even with careful planning, challenges can arise. Here are some common issues and how to address them: * **Lack of commitment:** If peer volunteers become disengaged, talk to them individually to understand their concerns. Reiterate the importance of their role and provide additional support if needed. * **Gossip or negativity:** Address any instances of gossip or negativity immediately. Remind the circle of the importance of confidentiality and respectful communication. * **Unrealistic expectations:** Ensure the focus child and the circle have realistic expectations. Progress may be gradual, and setbacks are normal. Celebrate small victories and focus on building positive relationships. * **Conflict within the circle:** If conflicts arise between peer volunteers, facilitate a discussion to help them resolve their differences. Model effective communication and conflict-resolution skills.
Conclusion
Circle of Friends is a powerful intervention that can transform the lives of socially isolated children. By mobilising the social power of peers, it creates genuine connections and creates a sense of belonging. While implementation requires careful planning and ongoing support, the rewards are significant: increased social inclusion, improved emotional well-being, and a more inclusive school culture for all. By following this comprehensive guide, teachers can confidently implement Circle of Friends and create classrooms where every child feels valued, supported, and connected. Embrace this peer-supported approach and develop the potential of your students to build a more inclusive and compassionate learning community.
Further Reading
Circle of Friends intervention
Peer support programmes
* Frederickson, N. & Turner, J. (2003). Utilizing the classroom peer group to address children’s social needs: An evaluation of the Circle of Friends intervention approach. *Journal of Special Education*, *36*(4), 234-245. * Taylor, G. (1996). *Circle of friends: An inclusive approach to meeting the needs of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties*. London: Cassell. * Newton, C., & Wilson, D. (1999). *Circle time: A handbook of activities and ideas for using circle time effectively*. London: David Fulton Publishers. * Persson, B. (2000). Pupils in need of special support: An inclusive approach. *European Journal of Special Needs Education, 15*(2), 139-151. * Garner, P. (2009). *Special educational needs: The key concepts*. Routledge.
