Restorative Approaches to Behaviour and Relationships

Governors’ ConferenceSunday 22nd November 2009

1

Training objectives:

Participants will:

1. Understand the values underlying restorative justice

2. Be aware of the potential benefits and outcomes of working restoratively

3. Be aware of how restorative approaches are applied within Hackney school settings (primary and secondary)

4. Be aware of the support available to schools2

What is restorative practice?

It is a response to inappropriate behaviour that puts repairing the harm done to relationships and to people over and above the need for assigning blame and dispensing punishment.

3

Restorative versus punitiveA more traditionally punitive approach to managing behaviour asks the questions:

What happened? Who is to blame? What is the appropriate punishment?

4

Restorative conversations

Restorative conversations pose the following questions:

What happened?Who has been affected and how?How can we mend the harm done?What have we learned so as to make

different choices next time?5

Social Discipline

NOT

WITHTO

FOR

Blood, 2004 Adapted from Wachtel,T 1999.

collaborative

reintegrative

Restorative

Neglectful Permissive

authoritarianstigmatising

Punitive

rescuingexcusing

therapeuticprotective

Low

High

High

Stru

ctur

e/Bo

unda

ries

Support

indifferentpassive

6

Shame

7

Reintegrative shaming

Dealt with privately

Brings about change

Reduces chance of reoffending

Stigmatised shaming

Humiliation

Anger

Reoffending

Why do we need restorative practices?

It supports existing practice of building, maintaining and mending relationships with pupils from chaotic homes.

It teaches pupils consequences. It gives a voice to pupils and staff

who are victims in an incident.8

All of the work is based on 4 key features:

Respect – listening to others’ opinions and valuing them

Responsibility – taking responsibility for your own actions

Repair – talking with others to sort out how to repair any harm that has been caused

Reintegration – working through a process that solves the problem but allows young people to remain included and involved in mainstream education

9

Restorative PracticeQ Where does it originate? Ancient Maori, Aboriginal and Native American notions of

Justice

Q What is its history in this country? Youth criminal justice system, now moving into schools

Q What is its place in schools? It has been and is still being adapted to fit into an

educational model – recognising that schools are where young people learn, and from a restorative perspective, conflict or wrongdoing is recognised as an opportunity for learning.

Q What are the rewards?10

The potential advantages of restorative approaches in the school setting include: A safer, more caring environment A more effective teaching and learning environment A greater commitment by everyone to taking the time to listen to

one another A reduction in bullying and other interpersonal conflicts A greater awareness of the importance of connectedness to

young people. The need to belong and feel valued by peers and significant adults

Greater emphasis on responses to inappropriate behaviour that seek to reconnect, and not further disconnect, young people

Reductions in fixed term and permanent exclusions A greater confidence in the staff team to deal with challenging

situations An increased belief in the ability of young people to take

responsibility for their choices, and more people giving them opportunities to do so

11

In Hackney, the comments we have heard from staff in schools (support staff, teachers & managers) include:

the number of exclusions has reduced, pupils have responded very positively to the process in their evaluation of the conferences, and problems addressed in the conferences have not resurfaced.

pupils have welcomed the opportunity to resolve problems knowing that the process is not a witch hunt to find and punish the perpetrators of harm.

12

Improved relationships with parents/carers of

pupils who have been involved in community conferences, including greater confidence ion the school’s ability to deal with issues effectively.

the conferences have empowered all pupils involved, both wrongdoers and victims to tell their story, face up to their part in any wrongdoing and to learn to respect each other. Also, the pupils have felt a sense of justice having been done, which has the consequence of dissipating their anger.

13

DVD

14

DVD

15

DVD

16

Restorative Practices Continuum

Restorative chat

Individual

conference

Small group

conference

Classroom

conference

Restorative

conference

17

The restorative chat Tell me what happened. What were you thinking at the time? What do you think about it now? Who did this affect? What do you need to do about it? How can we make sure this doesn’t happen again? What can I do to help you?

18

References Blood, Peta (2004) Restorative Practices – Building Connectedness and

Fostering Emotional Literacy.

Blood, Peta & Thorsborne, Margaret (2006) Overcoming Resistance to Whole-School Uptake of Restorative Practices.

Hopkins, Belinda (2002) Restorative Justice in Schools.

Morrison, Brenda (2007) Restoring Safe School Communities: a whole school response to bullying, violence and alienation.

http://www.teachers.tv/video/2742

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1s6wKeGLQk

http://www.tes.co.uk/search/story/?story_id=2444194

Contacts: Terence.bevington@learningtrust.co.ukRestorative Practice Development Officer, BEST, The Learning Trust. Tel: 020 8820

723721