Restorative practice
Repairing what has been damaged
Approaches that build and maintain healthy relationships, resolve difficulty, and repair harm where there has been conflict — in schools, youth settings, families and neighbourhoods.
What restorative practice means
Restorative practice describes behaviours, interactions and approaches that help build and maintain positive, healthy relationships, resolve difficulties, and repair harm where there has been conflict. Where people are worked with rather than done to, the evidence is strong that outcomes improve.
It enables those working with individuals and families to focus on building relationships that create and inspire positive change. Creating change sometimes requires challenge as well as support. The processes range from formal to informal, and they focus on removing barriers, promoting a sense of community, and building understanding, social responsibility and shared accountability.
Where it works
Different settings, same underlying discipline.
Schools
Classrooms and corridors
Restorative conversations and circles instead of straight to sanction. Used with pupils, staff and families where a relationship has broken down.
Youth work
Young people
Including through our OCN accredited youth work qualification, which covers restorative and mediation skills alongside equality and diversity practice.
Families
Restorative parenting
An accredited Level 2 course in restorative approaches within family life — repairing relationships rather than escalating consequences.
Training, not just delivery
Most organisations who come to us want the capability in-house rather than a service they have to keep buying. So a large part of this work is training other people to do it.
We deliver Community Restorative Practices at Levels 2 and 3, Restorative Parenting as an accredited Level 2 course, and restorative and mediation units inside the OCN Level 2 qualification in Community Relations, Equality and Diversity in Youth Work Practice.
Courses can be delivered on their own or combined, and are OCN Northern Ireland accredited.
Next step
Bring it into your organisation
Tell us the setting — a school, a youth project, a family service — and we will tell you honestly whether restorative practice is the right fit.