NetCare has developed several successful programmes with Education Authorities and individual schools in Ireland and the UK. These programmes have helped to address issues of conflict within the school setting, bullying and problems with pupil attendance.

These programmes have proven to:

> Reduce conflict and exclusions by as much as 60%
> Reduce assaults on staff
> Increase attendance levels by 62%
> Create a more harmonious school environment
> Effectively tackle bullying
> Build a strategic approach to problem solving
> Develop young peoples social skills 

 Restorative Approaches in Schools

What are Restorative Practices?

‘Restorative Practices’ is a term associated with a range of actions that an organisation adopts to promote an inclusive approach to problem solving and building healthy relationships. They range from verbal communication through to formal restorative conferences (a structured meeting between the wrongdoer, the victim and significant others).

There are many ways to introduce and use restorative practices. Many schools already use them and adhere to the ethos associated with the restorative philosophy yet do not call it by this name. What differentiates schools that are associated with Restorative Practices is quite often their use of the full or impromptu restorative conference and a consistent use of the other interventions.

“I found the restorative conference a powerful process and feel that it can only have a positive impact on our children and the school”.       Kay Tuit, Teacher, Thorpe Bay HS, Essex

The restorative approach is focused on building and repairing relationships rather than managing and controlling behaviour. In broad terms restorative justice is an innovative approach to dealing with inappropriate and harmful behaviour.  It places the need to repair the harm done to relationships and people over and above the need to apportion blame and seek punishment.

The methods developed value empowerment, communication and reparation.  It recognises that many victims need to be listened to and have their say (often to the person responsible for the harm done).  That many offenders given the opportunity are willing to meet the people harmed by their actions, to talk through the impact of their actions and accept responsibility to do something to put things right as best they can. When harmful behaviour occurs, the emphasis is on repairing the damage caused to relationships and find mutually acceptable ways forward. The emphasis has the potential to transform the way that members of that school community think, feel and behave towards each other.

“It was better (than other school procedures) because I had to face up to what I had done”                                                                                16yr old female, NI School 2002

Aims of Restorative Practices in schools

The person causing harm should be given opportunity to: 

• Take responsibility
• Hear how their actions have impacted on others in a safe and respectful environment
• Repair the harm caused
• Be part of the decision making process
• Be part of the solution making process
• Learn and grow from their experience 

The person(s) harmed should be given the opportunity to: 

• Tell their story in a way that s/he will be heard 
• Take part in the decision making process 
• Be part of the solution making process  
• Learn and grow from the experience

The school should be given the opportunity to: 

• Tell how the actions have impacted on them 
• Express their wishes and feelings so that they are heard
• Work in partnership with the wrongdoer, victim and family members in the decision and problem solving process
• Be able to explore the needs of the pupil, staff and school
• Learn and grow from the experience
• Why use Restorative Approaches in Schools?

“Before the restorative conference I felt that I was not listened to properly by the school. They blamed me for bigger things that had nothing to do with me. I was able to put things right and accept the things I had done wrong”           14yr old male, Northern Ireland HS

Restorative conferences have been used in a variety of settings over the past twenty years.  However, it has been most successful in the school setting as demonstrated in recent research. We know by now that the traditional approaches to wrongdoing, namely the punitive approaches of detentions, suspensions and exclusions do not help young people to evaluate the affect that their actions have had on others. Instead, they see themselves as the victim of an unfair system. In the more extreme cases the young person will return to school feeling the need to revenge their perceived ‘injustice’ and will attempt to redress the imbalance, as they see it, by means of further destructive behaviour. By using the restorative approach we aim to enable that young person to articulate their feelings, take responsibility for their actions, view the harm caused from the other persons perspective and repair the harm caused by doing something meaningful for them or for the school community. 

The restorative approach creates opportunities for schools to teach the importance of individual, group and community responsibility. In short good citizenship that will provide the necessary communication and problem solving skills required for independent living in later life.

“I was going to suspend the boy to teach him and the rest of the first years that you can’t get away with bullying, but he would have come back more angry. This way (Restorative Approach) he was able to learn…. he was so proud of himself when he made it up to the other boy”                        P. O’Connor. Principal, Letterkenny Vocational School, 2005

Individuals affected by the harm (teachers, support staff, pupils, etc) are given an opportunity to talk about their experience, express themselves in a way in which they can be heard and give details of the incident and how it had impacted upon them. This process allows them to ‘move on’, empowering them by giving them a voice and encouraging them to become part of the solution.

The school are given an opportunity to work with everyone involved in the incident including parents. The process allows for greater understanding by all, which in turn will increase the chances of a better and longer lasting solution to the problem. There will be less conflict, fewer suspensions and greater working partnerships between parents/pupils and schools. 

The Development of the Restorative Practices in schools

The restorative approach in schools is not a new idea and many schools and school staff are using the language and some of the practices associated with the practices. The difference has been the consistency in which it is used, the added elements such as the conferences and most importantly the ‘whole school’ approach (All staff-teaching/ancillary are involved).

In 1998, whilst working for Barnardos NI, Jim McGrath adapted the youth offending model of Restorative Justice to the school environment. Having left Barnardos to set up NetCare, he continued to develop the processes to include:

• The language used when dealing with conflict
• Restorative questions
• Circle time 
• Impromptu intervention
• Restorative Conference
• Restorative Space  

Practitioners in Australia, the UK and the USA were also developing their practice to incorporate a range of interventions that would compliment each other these are generally known as restorative practices.

“This way teaches you not to do something again because you see what you’ve put the person through”                                                       13yr old male, High school, Essex

Restorative practices have been used in schools in England for approximately six years.  In the last two years government bodies such as: Education & Employment, Department of Education, Local Education Authorities, The Home Office, The Youth Justice Board, and the Association of Chief Education Officers (ACEO) have recognised the effectiveness of this approach and are now financing pilot projects throughout the country.

Our Clients have included:

Southend Local Education Authority. Southern Education and Library Board, Northern Ireland. Belfast Education Library Board, Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education. North Western Health Promotion Service (Bullying Programme). Department of Education, England. Department of Education, Ireland. School Completion Programme, Dundalk and Dublin. Youth Reach, Ireland. Southern Partnership Programme, Dublin and individual schools throughout the UK and Ireland.  

Research

2002

Restorative Practices in Schools in Southend and Tackling Truancy in Southend using FGC are two evaluations carried out over a two year period beginning in 2002. The Family Group Conference Service ran both models. These are the initial findings of their attempts to tackle behaviour and absenteeism.

The Youth Justice Boards latest research into Restorative Justice in Schools in England.

2006

Research into Restorative Approaches in schools in the North West of Ireland. The findings are very exciting. To view more click on report

2007

Scotland produced this report, 'Restorative Practices in three Scottish Councils'. To read click report

Respectful Schools: Restorative Practices in Education, A Summary Report

Authors: Sean Buckley and Gabrielle Maxwell

Commissioned by:  Office of the Children’s Commissioner and The Institute of Policy Studies, School of Government, Victoria University, Wellington

This report summarises for school principals, members of boards of trustees and parents, findings from a study of restorative practices in New Zealand secondary schools. It provides information on practices and examples of how they have been introduced and used. It also looks at key themes and challenges in the introduction of restorative practices in schools.

You can download a copy of the full report:
Click Here (PDF, 237 KB)

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