Circle of Parents
Going Through Parenthood Together
We’re all only human and we need each other. Parents are under all kinds of stress trying to raise kids to reach their full potential. It’s a lot of pressure and no one can do it alone.
Circle of Parents® provides a friendly, supportive community led by parents and other caregivers where parents are the experts. Parents and caregivers are invited to share support, tips or advice in a safe space with those in their communities.
As the state chapter for Circle of Parents®, Illuminate Colorado is focused on growing this national, evidence-informed model creating friendly, supportive communities led by parents and other caregivers throughout Colorado.
Looking for a Circle to join? Visit the Colorado Circle of Parents website.
Support for Everyone
Illuminate Colorado currently supports over 40 Circle of Parents groups in 12 counties across Colorado. Caregivers come in all shapes and sizes. Aside from our general groups, there are also groups for:
Fathers & Male Caregivers
Spanish Speakers
Parents in Recovery
Kinship & Grandparents
Parents of Children with Special Needs
Expectant, New, and Expanding Families
The Circle of Parents model promotes the Protective Factors which help increase the health and safety of children and protect against child abuse and neglect.
Social Connections
Having a network of friends and family helps us feel secure, confident and empowered.
Parental Resilience
Resilience in managing stress and dealing with your life even when things get difficult.
Concrete Support in Times of Need
Some problems are too big to solve alone. Knowing where to get help can make life easier.
Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development
There is no perfect parent, but knowing what to expect does make the job easier.
Social & Emotional Competence of Children
Help children develop skills so they can manage their emotions and build healthy relationships.
Children’s Circle
For many parents, attendance at Circle is dependent on the availability of child care. To meet this need, Children’s Circle was created as a structured children’s program that provides a holistic approach to family support by giving children a nurturing atmosphere, supportive skill building and structured play opportunities while ensuring that parents have a safe, welcoming place to leave their children while they participate in Circle of Parents.
The goal of Children’s Circle is to provide developmentally appropriate, skill-building activities that will increase children’s confidence and self-worth while providing fun and enjoyment. The Children’s Circle curriculum is comprised of 33 different lessons that the Children’s Circle Leader can utilize in any order. The Children’s Circle Leader attends a one-day training that incorporates the Protective Factors and Strengthening Families strategies unique to Circle of Parents and Children’s Circle. The curriculum is designed to build social emotional competence in children and is also based on trauma informed practices. In addition, the curriculum has been developed by child development experts with specialized knowledge on the impacts of caregiver substance use on children and infant and early childhood mental health.
