Friendship and Social Relationships

You Gotta Have Friends!

Friendships and meaningful social relationships are essential elements for achieving successful outcomes for students with and without disabilities. Friendship matters for everyone and making peer relationships a priority is a critical strategy for addressing communication, academic, and behavior goals. The CIE offers technical assistance, consultation, and resources to support a sense of belonging and authentic social relationships between students with and without disabilities. Contact the CIE to facilitate friendships for your students today.

Resources

• Technical Assistance:
  • As part of our effort to carry out our mission, the CIE provides evidence-based, expert professional development and technical assistance in New Hampshire, nationally, and internationally. We are proud to offer single and multi-day seminars and workshops as well as customized, on-site support for educators and administrators, students with disabilities, their families, and community teams.

  • Play is an important part of friendship development. Check out the NH Toy Library Network for fun learning opportunities to promote play and friendship!

• Books:
  Check out these books to learn about the importance of social relationships in academic and life success.
  • Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs
  • Seeing the Charade
  • What Matters: Reflections on Disability, Community, and Love
  • Reflections of Erin
• Tools:
  This easy to use tool provides a variety of tried and true supports to promote friendships and meaningful social relationships in school and in the community.
  • Making Friends With and Without Disabilities in School: A Toolkit for Teachers, Paraprofessionals, and Parents
  • Friendship Tips for Teachers of Students With & Without Disabilities
  • Friendship Tips for Parents of Children With & Without Disabilities
• Publications:
  If you are looking for academic and research related resources to reinforce the importance of meaningful social relationships, check out these publications.
  • Children's Friendships: Shifts Over a Half-Century in Perspectives on Their Development and Their Effects
  • Peer Network Strategies to Foster Social Connections Among Adolescents With and Without Severe Disabilities
  • Supporting Relationships Among Youth With and Without Developmental Disabilities
  • Promoting Inclusion, Social Connections, and Learning Through Peer Support Arrangements
  • The Nature of Friendship in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review
  • Paraeducators' Roles in Facilitating Friendships Between Secondary Students With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorders or Developmental Disabilities
  • Helping or hindering: the role of secondary educators in facilitating friendship opportunities among students with and without autism or developmental disability
  • "That's How We Do It": Friendship Work Between High School Students With and Without Autism or Developmental Disability
  • Peer Interactions and Friendship Opportunities Between Elementary Students With and Without Autism or Developmental Disability
  • Descriptors of Friendship Between Secondary Students With and Without Autism or Intellectual and Developmental Disability

Voices of Friendship

Watch this timeless 10-minute video to learn what is possible in the creation and support of lifelong friendships