Restorative Justice Framework

Restorative Values

Underpinning restorative practices is a set of values that guide the interrelated parts of a school teaching, learning, and the nurturing of relationships which support staff, students and the school community as a whole.

These values are often overlooked and understated. Yet an understanding of them, and what they mean to individuals and to the school as a whole, is important for any school that embeds restorative practices in the school environment. Developing a common understanding of restorative values is also unifying: it brings together people of different backgrounds and supports their feeling that the system is their own rather than imposed on them.

A school adopting restorative practices makes a commitment to all the values listed in the following table.

Key Values underpinning restorative practices

• Respect is the foundation for trust and goodwill. It is about being non-judgemental. Irrespective of age, gender, culture, race, actions or status, all human beings have inherent and equal worth.
• Participation is about being inclusive of everyone and working collaboratively. All those involved in a restorative process have something valuable to contribute.
• Honesty is required when working together and meeting the needs of each other. Those involved must be committed to nurturing relationships, act with integrity, and seek to clarify and understand issues.
• Humility is being aware of our limits and vulnerabilities. It is about respecting others, acknowledging self-doubt and recognising that we may not know what others need. Empathy, impartiality and mutual care are manifestations of humility.
• Interconnectedness is understanding that all things are connected, especially within the web of relationships. The focus of the restorative process is on reconnection and nurturing relationships. It is about using those individuals who are connected to the wrongdoing and bringing them together with their victims to address the repair that is needed.
• Accountability is responding appropriately to the moral obligation to accept responsibility. Taking responsibility is about acknowledging the truth, and supporting and assisting with repairing and problem solving. Recognising responsibility also involves taking responsibility to care for others.
• Empowerment sets an expectation that all participants are active in their role, with an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about an incident and find an appropriate response to the situation. They can tell their stories and have their concerns heard. Empowerment involves a non-judgemental attitude, flexibility and active listening.

Specific principles that apply to the restorative process in a restorative school are that:

• long-term solutions rather than quick fixes for behaviour management issues are preferred.
• fostering relationships is a high priority (and is the highest priority objective of disciplinary action carried out by school staff).
• the focus of intervention is on how harm and hurt can be repaired.
• the needs of both wrongdoers and victims are met.

Key principles applying to the wrongdoers and the harmed

1. Those who have done harm face up to the people they have harmed.
2. Those who have been harmed have a say in how the harm is repaired.
3. Those who have done harm are enabled to make amends and to find a way to continue their positive engagement in school life.

Students cannot learn effectively if relationships in a school are damaged. In the restorative approach, those involved in a conflict who may be teacher and student, student and student, school and parent, or even a whole class are the key stakeholders in the process of resolution. Asking restorative questions put the onus for problem solving on the people involved.

Moxon, J., Skudder, C. & Peters, J. (2006). Restorative Solutions for Schools An introductory resource book. Essential Resource Educational Publishers Limited