familiekring

Familiekring is a Dutch term that translates roughly as 'family circle' or 'family network.' In everyday language it refers to the group of close relatives and kin who form a person's inner social circle.

The exact composition of a familiekring varies per person and culture. It typically includes a partner or spouse, children, and parents, but may also encompass siblings, grandparents, and other close relatives. In some contexts, close friends who are regarded as part of the family may be included.

The circle serves as informal support network, providing emotional, practical, or caregiving help, and is often the first point of contact for decisions about daily life, health, housing, or emergencies. In social policy or care planning, identifying one's familiekring helps coordinate support and determine who should be involved or informed.

In research, the term is used to measure social support, network size, and cohesion; it can influence analyses of wellbeing, aging, and resilience.

Important caveats: 'familiekring' is informal and not a fixed legal category. Its participants and boundaries are personal and may change over time.

See also: kinship, family, informal care.