Circle of Friends

Circle of Friends (or Circle of Support) is a facilitated social-inclusion intervention in which a person with a disability is surrounded by a small, intentional group of peers, family members, and supporters who commit to sustained involvement in their social life. The model emerged in the context of deinstitutionalisation and inclusive education as a structured response to the observation that children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities often lack the naturally-occurring peer networks that neurotypical people take for granted. Active support from a circle is associated with increased community participation, stronger emotional wellbeing, and more durable friendships; its absence is a recurring theme in research on social isolation among adults with cognitive disabilities.