Specialist Teaching Service

The first meeting of the circles were often awkward, and some of our focus children were anxious or over excited by the process. Low key but efficient preparations were needed to ensure that accommodation and time would be available, that the group got off to a prompt start and that disturbances were minimised.

For obvious reasons the first meeting was critical in setting the ground rules and establishing a style of working. (See Guideline 6).

The first meeting was also the starting point for the special relationship between the circle and the focus child. The motivation of the circle to help needs to be harnessed and heightened and the focus child needs to hear the acknowledgement of his or her strengths - as well as engage with the group in identifying difficulties which need to be worked on. These were reported back from the whole class discussion as the ‘focus child’ was not present at that. As far as possible the ‘focus child’ and ‘circle’ need to be engaged in a shared responsibility and purpose whose ultimate goal is to help the focus child in day to day situations.

A central feature of circles of friends is that they are about peers supporting peers. The adults' role is to facilitate rather than control or lead this process. The natural instinct to teach, direct and protect is something which may need to be held in check and used with discretion if the participants are to assume maximum responsibility and co-operate creatively. A number of tactics helped in this process.

At the outset circle meetings were structured around a simple framework. (See Guideline 7). At the core was a problem solving routine but the sequence of discussion points and content was intended to help the process and sustain the motivation of all involved parties. By different routes a number of the circles gradually evolved a format which also allowed circle members to contribute their own "good news" and "bad news" and to receive peer recognition and support.

In addition to a simple framework for conducting the meeting in some circles it was found helpful to allocate clear roles (and rotate these meeting by meeting) e.g. a chairperson, in order to strengthen the ground rules about speaking and listening. This also helped to involve all circle members and even out levels of participation.

The circle has to operate as a group, coming to joint decisions and courses of action. This involves complex social, emotional and intellectual demands and was a great challenge for the youngest circle of year 3 children. Experience of group based, co-operative discussion work, using approaches such as circle time (Bliss and Tetley), would clearly form a good foundation for participation in a circle of friends.

The level of active intervention and guidance which is needed at any point in a particular circle is a matter for individual judgement and constant review. The adult does retain responsibility (and power) for determining the overall boundaries and direction of the circle and for the well-being of the participants. On the basis of experience and the outcomes of the evaluation a number of guidelines can be identified:

Participants in the circle may require skills which individuals lack or which are intrinsically difficult. For example, the challenge of providing constructive criticism, whilst sustaining the relationship is one which is hard for most people and one which a number of circle members were aware of struggling with.

The dynamics of a small group mean that emotions and reactions can be intensified, particularly when the issues being dealt with are personal. On occasions very strong and negative reactions were expressed by some focus children towards specific members of the circle. These individuals needed support in dealing with their own sense of responsibility and their own reactions to hurtful remarks and situations.

On occasions the group process developed in unexpected and unhelpful directions. In two circles the focus children began to see the groups as existing solely to serve their needs and they were not sensitive to conventions of reciprocity or the cues which showed growing resentment amongst circle members. We have also heard of another circle (involving a non-autistic youngster) where the circle members come to be dominated and used by a very powerful focus child. In these circumstances the adult needs to resume direct control, identify what is happening and re-negotiate the direction and goal of the circle.