One of the features of the Starting School Research Project (Perry, Dockett & Howard, 2000) has been the study of multiple experiences of the transition to school. An ecological model of transition highlights the significance of context and the ways in which context influences experiences and is influenced by the participants in these experiences. Understanding context is one of the keys to understanding successful transitions. This article considers the contexts and experiences of children with chronic illness as they start or return to school, with particular focus on the importance of children's friendships. (Contains 1 table.)