Camphill is the name given to the Movement founded by Dr Karl Konig, an eminent Viennese paediatrician, who, along with some other people committed to living and working with children with special needs, established the first community in 1940 in Camphill House near Aberdeen, Scotland . A Camphill community is created by a group of people who live together according to Christian ideals and follow the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. They and the people with special needs who come to communities live together in an atmosphere of mutual respect. There are over 90 communities in 20 countries of the world 47 of the communities are in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Some communities are in, or on the outskirts of, towns or cities.
Everyone in Camphill contributes to Ihe life of the community according to his or her ability to do so. This may mean helping with household chores, teaching, adminislrative work, therapies, working in the gardens or on the farms and estates or in the workshops Everyone takes part in the varied cultural and social life of the community and in the on-going education programmes run in each community. Some communities are residential schools for pupils from three to eighteen years of age. Others are training centres for young adults up to age 25. There are also adult communities where everyone works either in the community itself or for a local employer.