Referrals can be received from many sources, but most frequently will come from parents, teachers, placement agencies, treatment and assessment facilities and physicians. A typical referral would include an initial contact to the Executive Director by means of telephone or written correspondence. The referral usually requires the additional support of a placement agency, because A Circle of Support is an independant residential setting, licensed and governed by the Ministry of Community & Social Services but not directly funded.

As part of the referral process, we require a collection of personal information about the child. The social history, medical, psychiatric, psychological and educational reports and assessments are important documents to assist in this process. Concurrently, the child's family or the child and the family may visit A Circle of Support, and A Circle of Support always makes a visit to the child in his present home and/or school placement.

If, after careful evaluation of all information and assessment visits, it is felt that the child would be suitable to the program and even more importantly, that the program is suitable and appropriate to the child's needs, arrangements would be made for pre-placement visits and finally, a placement date would be set. The pre-placement visits hold as a trial admission for baseline performances and a summary of preliminary assessments. A placement date confirms admission.