The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Circle of Parents program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given either a Scientific Rating or a Child Welfare Relevance Rating.

• Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified
• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Any parent or individual in a parenting role for children ages 0-18 years. This may include biological parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents, kinship caregivers, etc. Many programs target specific groups such as fathers, parents of children with disabilities, parents with disabilities, immigrant and refugee families, incarcerated parents, teen parents, parents in substance abuse recovery, and other parenting challenges.

Circle of Parents is a national network of statewide non-profit organizations and parent leaders that are dedicated to using the mutual self-help support group model as a means of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening families. Circle of Parents offers anyone in a parenting role the opportunity to participate in weekly group meetings with other parents to exchange ideas, share information, develop and practice new parenting skills, learn about community resources, and give and receive support. Groups are parent-led with the support of a trained group facilitator, are conducted in a confidential and non-judgmental manner, are free of charge, and provide developmentally-appropriate children’s programs or child care concurrent with the parent group meetings. Developing leadership on the individual, family, community, and societal levels, as desired by parent participants, is a central theme of the Circle of Parents model.