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This study aimed to explore children's beliefs about the impact of their type 1 diabetes on their parents, siblings and friends. Twenty-seven children (mean age 12 years), who were registered at a diabetes clinic based in the UK, took part in a semi-structured interview. Themes were extracted by two independent reviewers using content analysis techniques. In general, the predominant themes across all groups (mothers, fathers, siblings, and friends) were positive. Many children described their parents as being comfortable with their diabetes, and as providers of emotional and informational support. However, a significant minority of the children perceived their parents to be anxious, this perception sometimes causing children to have concerns of their own. Some fathers were perceived as being uninvolved with their child's diabetes. Siblings and friends were generally perceived positively, with some friends even reported as 'envious' about the child's diabetes. The results from this exploratory study have provided an initial insight into children's views of how others in their social environment are impacted by their illness. The study demonstrates the importance for clinicians to consider children's adjustment to their diabetes in the context of their family environment. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]