All Circles Providers have put in place alternative and creative service provision where possible. The well-being of our service users (Core Members), Volunteers and Staff is paramount but we are mindful that the social distancing measures will exacerbate feelings of social isolation and exclusion already experienced by our Core Members. Circles Providers will therefore provide a virtual service where at all possible, thereby also continuing to provide an additional layer of risk management. Those Providers that are able to use digital technology have adopted some or all of the following measures:

• Current face to face Circles meetings are suspended. Where possible Circle meetings will instead be held virtually through means such as teleconferencing, video-calling, Skype and Zoom. Where this is cannot be done, telephone contact with the Core Member will be maintained and even increased where deemed necessary with their Circle Coordinator and Volunteers. Relevant intelligence will continue to be shared with statutory agencies.
• For new Circles, Providers will strive to set up ‘Virtual Circles’ through teleconferencing, video-calling, Skype and Zoom. Where this is not possible new starts will be postponed to such time that social distancing measures are relaxed.
• Referrals for new Circles will continue to be welcomed with potential new Core Members assessed and some of the pre-Circle preparatory work done remotely.

Circles UK will continue to provide support to Circles Providers and Circles UK staff will continue to be fully contactable by phone or email. All meetings will take place via telephone or video conferencing. All training and other face to face events that have been arranged for this period will be postponed, but training delivery through creative means like webinars is being explored.