Good practice in befriending services for people with learning difficulties

Summary Despite the growing trend for the development of befriending services, there is a paucity of research about the views of people involved with these services and the effectiveness of service provision. This article describes some of the views and experiences of paid workers, volunteer befrienders, service users (befriendees) and family carers involved with seven befriending services for children and/or adults with learning difficulties in England. Although each of the befriending services shared the broad purpose of increasing the friendship circles of the befriendees, their aims and the ways in which they worked, differed considerably. The focus of the article is on some of the key issues that the befriending services faced, factors that were found to contribute to good practice within befriending services and recommendations for good practice.