1. RESTORATIVE APPROACHES IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS
RELATIONSHIPS RESPECT RESPONSIBILITIES
RESTORATIVE APPROACHES IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS
Three Rs for the 21st Century?

2. ‘Improving Relationships and Promoting Positive Behaviour in Scotland’s Schools’
“Good relationships and positive behaviour across
whole school communities are fundamental to the
successful delivery of Curriculum for Excellence”
“The Scottish Government is committed to building
upon this work and will continue to support this
through the Positive Behaviour Team”

3. WHY RESTORATIVE APPROACHES?
They work - (dependent upon buy in!!!)
Qualitative and quantitative evidence of progress.

4. RESTORATIVE APPROACHES - THE RESEARCH
Pilot councils – Fife, Highland, North Lanarkshire
Evidence of positive impact upon relationships and behaviour
Evidence of development of essential life skills
Evidence of calmer learning environments
Young people making more good choices more often
Promotes emotional well being for all
Supportive of Children’s Services approaches

5. SOME BACKGROUND AND TERMS
Restorative Justice
Restorative Conferencing
Victim/Offender Mediation
Family Group Conferencing
Mediation
Circles vs Circle Time
Real Justice
IIRP - Safer Saner Schools
Transforming Conflict

6. “Restorative Practices (Approaches) are fundamentally rooted in a philosophy. They are not templates. It is this philosophy which ought to guide the way we act in our dealings with others.”
(Ted Wachtel)

7. THE UNDERPINNING MODEL
PROCEDURES
PRACTICES
SKILLS
PHILOSOPHY
VALUES
ETHOS

8. PHILOSOPHY
Restorative Approaches build upon the notion of positive regard which
is based on the premise that we all need to be regarded for who we
are. This moves our thinking away from only our actions /
achievements having value.
It also helps us differentiate between the person and her / his
behaviour.
Significantly restorative approaches are grounded in the understanding
that individuals are responsible for their actions, and within our
communities when an action has caused harm, those involved have a
responsibility to put things right. – This moves us on from the language
and culture of crime and punishment.
Restorative approaches are fundamentally grounded in ‘relationships’ and in
repairing, restoring and consolidating relationships when they have been
harmed.

9. TWO KINDS OF DISCIPLINE
TRADITIONAL
Rule breaking
Blame or guilt
Adversarial
Punish to deter
Impersonal
Affected ignored
Accountability = being punished
RESTORATIVE
Harm
Problem solving
Dialogue + negotiation
Restitution/ reparation
Interpersonal
Empowerment
Accountability = put things right

10. THE SOCIAL DISCIPLINE WINDOW
HIGH To
With
Not
For
punitive
restorative
Control
(Limit Setting
Discipline)
permissive
neglectful
(Wachtel
and McCold)
Support
(Encouragement, Nurture)
HIGH
LOW

11. MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Self-actualisation
Universal Levels of Human Need
Self-esteem
Love,affection and belonging
Safety /Security
Physiological (Survival)

12. HUMAN NEEDS To be respected An understanding listener
To be allowed to have emotion and to talk about them
The other person to really understand what has upset me
A genuine apology
Amends made
Support and positive reinforcement
Reassurance it won’t happen again
To draw a line underneath it
Now think about what you need when you have caused harm to someone else 12

13. WHAT IS NEEDED TO REPAIR HARM?
If I have been harmed I need:
time to calm down
time to think
to be listened to
a chance to ask
“Why me? What did I do to deserve that?”
the other person concerned to acknowledge the effect their behaviour has had on me and how I feel
a sincere, spontaneous apology
if possible, things put right
reassurance that it won’t happen again
If I have caused harm I need:
time to think
to be listened to
a chance to explain to myself and the other person why I did it
an opportunity to apologise
a chance to make amends
reassurance that the matter is dealt with and I can move on
hope that there is no continuing resentment

14. Restorative Approaches
Are about developing and maintaining and repairing positive relationships
Are about helping young people (and adults!) learn and develop the skills to make good choices now and throughout their lives – if we’ve learned these skills, they can be taught
Enable us to acknowledge when we have harmed someone and think about what to do to put it right
Encourage us to consider our feelings and those of others (emotional well being)
Encourages us all to consider our behaviour and the effect it has on others

15. THE CHALLENGE OF CULTURE CHANGE: EMBEDDING RESTORATIVE APPROACHES IN SCHOOLS
Schools as learning communities - book referred to in Canada.

16. STAGES OF CHANGE A Trans-theoretical Model
Pre-contemplation
not ready to change behaviour, and may be unaware of the need to change
Contemplation
thinking about starting new behaviour in future
Preparation
ready to start changing their behaviour soon
Action
changed behaviour within the last 6 months, and are aware -- as are others -- of moving ahead
Maintenance
ongoing support for changed behaviour 6 months +

17. DEVELOPING A SHARED VISION
Key people must be clear about the organisational goals - what the organisation will look like when they get there - and being very clear about what they want to measure and how that will happen and why it is important
But more than anything, they must understand that this will mean, in all likelihood, a change in the culture - that is, “how we do things around here” or “how we do everything around here”