Evaluative Review Lewisham Restorative Approaches Partnership

32 Pages·2005·0.22 MB·English

by  Ben Wachtel

Evaluative Review
Lewisham Restorative
Approaches Partnership
Research and report by
Cathy Warren
CW Associates
020 8671 5461
[email protected]
September 2005
Contents
Section One Introduction pg. 3
1.1 About the evaluative report
1.2 Introduction to restorative approaches
1.3 Lewisham and restorative approaches
Section Two Work of the Restorative Approaches Partnership pg. 7
2.1 Borough-wide training
2.2 Guidance
2.3 Work with schools
2.4 National and international involvement
Section Three Schools’ Experience pg. 10
3.1 Secondary schools
3.2 Primary schools
Section Four Recommendations pg. 29
4.1 Significant observations
4.2 General recommendations
4.3 Conclusions and detailed recommendations
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Section One
Introduction
1.1 About the evaluative report
This report examines the progress of Lewisham’s Restorative Approaches
Partnership in its work in schools and attempts to identify:
 Evidence that restorative approaches are having an impact on behaviour in
schools
 Lessons learnt from those who have made most progress in implementing
the approaches
 Future needs to support continued development of restorative work in
schools
To inform Section Two of the report interviews were held with:
 Siân Williams, BIP manager
 Caroline Newton, Restorative Approaches Co-ordinator
 Marcia Lewis, Manager, Lewisham Action on Mediation Project (LAMP)
To inform Section Three, interviews were held with staff and some students from a
selection of those schools which have begun to make progress in implementing
restorative approaches. These interviews explored how the change process has
happened, what the impact has been, how the Partnership has helped to date and
what is needed for the future. Interviews were carried out with staff from:
 Secondary schools: Forest Hill, Deptford Green and Catford Business and
Enterprise College
 Primary schools: Athelney, John Ball, Baring, Forster Park and St
Bartholomew’s.
1.2 A brief introduction to restorative approaches
Restorative approaches are based on the principles of restorative justice (RJ),
which is a way of repairing harm that has its roots in a number of ancient cultures
including Native American, Maori, Aboriginal and Anglo-Saxon. The roots are
ancient but there has been considerable recent interest in many parts of the world
in applying its principles. In the school context, international interest has been
triggered by concern about increasing levels of challenging behaviour reported in
schools, problems caused by bullying and a continuing concern about children and
young people excluded from schools either for a fixed term or permanently. There
is growing recognition of the importance of building and maintaining positive
relationships in order that effective learning can take place.
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A key restorative principle is that where an event causes harm to any member of a
community, a way needs to be found to repair that harm; in order to do so, those
affected need an opportunity to express their needs, and those who perpetrated
the harm need an opportunity to make amends. Cameron and Thorsborne (2001)
explain this well in relation to education:
Restorative justice in the school setting views misconduct not as
school-rule-breaking and therefore a violation of the institution, but as
a violation against people and relationships in the school and wider
school community. Restorative justice means that the harm done to
people and relationships needs to be explored and that harm needs
to be repaired.
Incidents in schools that are dealt with restoratively provide opportunities for harm
to be repaired. The process takes place when all parties are in agreement that
they want to address the harm in this way and, in particular, it is important that the
person causing harm accepts that s/he has done so, is ready to be held
accountable and wants to repair the wrongdoing. This is a different perspective to
the simple application of sanctions, but it does not preclude their use as part of an
overall restorative behaviour management system.
Where possible, restorative approaches bring together those harmed and those
who cause harm who, through the restorative process, are faced with the impact of
their actions. The judgment of staff involved as to the readiness of the person
causing harm and the sensitive and supportive management of the resulting
shame are important elements of the process, which can bring genuine changes in
attitude and future behaviour. At the same time those who have been harmed
have an opportunity to express themselves and to have a say in how the matter is
resolved – part of their healing process. An agreement is formed by all parties,
with the commitment of all present and includes a shared understanding of the
consequences of any breach of this agreement.
If it is not possible to bring together harmed and harmer, restorative processes can
also enable the harm, and ways of repairing it, to be explored. Many processes are
based on a simple series of questions which can be used in a variety of settings,
from small-scale conversations in corridors or classrooms to large conferences
involving families and community members, or with whole classes.
 What has happened?
 What were you thinking/feeling at the time? And now?
 Who has been affected by what happened? How have they been affected?
 What is needed to make this right?
 How can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?
Whilst the questions are not difficult in themselves, much depends on the style of
delivery and skilled handling of the emerging information. The bigger the group
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involved, the more skilful the facilitator needs to be, both in terms of handling
group dynamics as well as sensitively managing the information that is likely to
emerge. Experience both internationally and in the UK also suggests that
restorative approaches will be most effective used within a school culture where
emotional health, wellbeing and literacy are developed on an ongoing basis.
1.3 Lewisham and Restorative Approaches
1.3.1 Key Drivers
As part of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Plan, Lewisham is committed
to implementing restorative approaches in schools.
Lewisham’s decision to adopt this policy is based on evidence that restorative
approaches have had demonstrable success both in the Youth Justice system and
in other educational settings. In recognition of its success in a criminal justice
context the Home Office published a strategy for using Restorative Justice in July
2003, and the Youth Justice system is now underpinned by restorative principles.
Although the use of the approaches in a school context is newer, there is already a
mounting weight of evidence – from studies of schools undertaken in Australia,
New Zealand, Canada, the USA and the UK - to demonstrate that they can reduce
recurrence of incidents, change behaviour and build the school’s sense of
community and culture of responsible behaviour. In addition the Metropolitan
Police encourage School Liaison and Safer Schools officers to use restorative
conferencing, the DfES has also recently appointed an advisor for its new
‘Violence Reduction in Schools’ project that incorporates RJ and interest at central
government level is growing.
With the introduction of the Every Child Matters agenda, RJ has a clear place in
the key outcomes of ‘Staying Safe’ and ‘Making a Positive Contribution’; through
these outcomes and its place within a school culture that promotes respect for
learning, use of restorative approaches can also impact significantly on ‘enjoying
and Achieving’. Lewisham’s commitment to restorative approaches is reflected in
Lewisham Directorate for Children and Young People’s Strategic Plan as part of
the ‘Staying Safe’ agenda
.
1.3.2 Lewisham Restorative Approaches Partnership
The Restorative Approaches Partnership is a partnership of stakeholders in
Lewisham engaged in promoting, supporting and co-ordinating restorative
approaches with children and young people within the borough. Its role is to
provide training and support to facilitate the implementation of restorative
approaches. It also has a co-ordination role to ensure consistency of standards. It
includes representatives from the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) and
the Youth Offending Team (YOT) , the Metropolitan Police and the Lewisham
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Action on Mediation Project (LAMP - a voluntary sector organisation offering
mediation services within Lewisham) – and the Lewisham Children’s Fund.
The achievements of the Partnership since its inception in 2002 are outlined in
section two of this report.
1.3.3 Funding
Funding for the project has been obtained from the Children’s Fund (c.£44,000 per
annum), the Safe and Secure Communities Fund (£20,000 per annum), the
Behaviour Improvement Project (£15,000 per annum) and the Youth Offending
Team (£15,000 per annum). Funding has been used for providing specialised
training and support services for schools; to fund the full-time post of Restorative
Approaches Co-ordinator, a quarter of whose time is allocated to the Youth
Offending team and the remainder focused on schools, and to fund LAMP’s peer
mediation work with schools.
The funding from the Children’s Fund will cease in April 2006, and the Safe and
Secure Communities Fund is currently under review.
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Section Two
Summary of achievements of the Restorative Approaches Partnership
2.1 Borough-wide training
Two- and three-day courses have been made available annually to schools and
other staff. These have been led by Marg Thorsborne, a leading world expert on
restorative schools principles. They include practice in facilitation of restorative
conferences.
The courses were provided in December 2002, March 2004 and February 2005.
Further courses are planned for November 2005 and March 2006.
They have been attended by Lewisham staff and others as follows:
 Secondary schools: 41 staff from eleven schools
 Primary schools: 65 staff from 37 schools
 Special schools/PRUs: seven staff from three schools
 Voluntary sector groups: six staff from four groups
 Police: eight officers
 Youth Offending Team: seven staff
 Specialist support for schools (eg Behaviour and Education Support Team,
Educational Psychologists, behaviour support staff) twelve staff
 Parent-governor: One governor
This is a total of 144 staff from the borough who have been trained to a high
standard of competence.
In addition 23 secondary school staff and 47 primary school staff attended half-day
awareness sessions led by Marg Thorsborne and a briefing for interested
Lewisham Council managers and councillors has also been held.
Response to the trainings has been universally highly positive, with immediate
responses including such comments as, The best training I have ever done…The
most useful information I have had since I started teaching.
The schools interviewed for this report have indicated that the training has, for
them, had a lasting impact. Most of the staff interviewed referred to its importance
in persuading staff of the merits of the approach, and many recommended sending
staff on the training. Marg’s training style, and the reputation and authority she
brings with her, has played a vital role in the success of the training and its lasting
impact. Continued regular availability of training of a high standard has been
highlighted as a key need for the future.
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2.2 Production of guidance: Restoring the Balance
This 20-page booklet was developed as a resource to support and encourage
schools in implementing restorative approaches. 5000 copies were printed and the
initial distribution included ten copies to each secondary school and five to each
primary school. Subsequent requests for further copies indicate the usefulness of
the guide. At the present time approx 4,000 have been issued, mainly in response
to requests from Lewisham schools although there has also been distribution at a
local, national and international level.
2.3 Work with Schools
2.3.1 Restorative Approaches Co-ordinator (Sept 2004 – July 2005)
The Co-ordinator spends 75% of her time on education-based activities and has
undertaken a variety of interventions to promote restorative approaches and
support their implementation.
Interventions directly affecting schools have included:
Promotional (brief sessions to raise awareness)
 Lewisham Deputy Heads Conference Feb 2005 in collaboration with LAMP
 Lewisham Head Teachers Conference November 2004
 Staff meetings
Developmental (in-depth sessions to support implementation)
 In schools:
o Twilight sessions in two primary schools
o Half-day INSET in four primary schools
o Whole day INSET in two primary schools
o Two workshops with staff from the Crossways Federation (a
federation including the sixth form school and four secondary
schools)
o Consultation with head teachers of two primary schools
o Half-day training with year seven tutors at a secondary school
 Borough-wide:
o Two half-day sessions with Learning Mentors
o One whole day with Education Psychologists
Support and follow-up
 Forming a support group of practitioners
 Holding a Practice Day, attended by fifteen practitioners – four police
officers, one member YOT staff, two staff from the voluntary sector and
eight education staff
 Support sessions with practitioners in schools
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 Intensive support for circle time
 Co-facilitation with a member of the YOT, of a series of large-scale
restorative meetings between a secondary school and its local community
Schools have varied in the support required from the Co-ordinator, and the
schools’ experiences in Section Three show some of the ways in which this
support has enabled them to introduce new practices.
2.3.2 Work of Lewisham Action on Mediation Project (LAMP)
LAMP has worked in schools offering a variety of educational programmes and
support for the last five years. It has been able to expand its work in this area
through the Partnership and financial input from the Children’s Fund. The main
focus has been on:
 Peer mediation - training students as peer mediators and supporting
schools in implementing the support structures for peer mediation
 Staff training to support peer mediation systems and mediators
 Providing external mediation or conference facilitation services to deal with
more difficult conflicts.
 Providing life-skills trainings for students, including training in conflict
resolution skills.
LAMP’s work in schools over the 2004-5 academic year included:
 Peer mediation training and implementation support in three secondary
schools and four primary schools.
 Life skills training for the whole Year 9 of a secondary school
 Staff training including lunchtime supervisor trainings in two primary schools
 RJ conferences and mediations involving staff, students and parents, in
three primary schools and the Pupil Referral Unit
 Initial discussions with a number of schools, resulting in at least six schools
scheduling peer mediation training for the Autumn of 2005
LAMP staff work in collaboration with the Restorative Approaches Co-ordinator.
They meet regularly to review their work school by school to ensure consistency of
approach, agree priorities and run training jointly when appropriate.
Evidence showing the effectiveness of LAMP’s work is found in Section Three.
2.4 National and international involvement
The partnership has represented Lewisham at conferences and presentations and
has been visited by people wishing to initiate restorative approaches in their own
areas, nationally and internationally.
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Section Three
Schools’ Experience
This section contains a snapshot of how some schools have implemented
restorative practices. Their experiences have been included to show how
restorative approaches can work in practice, the positive impact they are having on
behaviour and relationships in schools and some of the issues faced in embedding
them.
Staff from the following schools were interviewed:
Secondary Schools
 Forest Hill
 Deptford Green
 Catford Business and Enterprise College
Primary Schools
 Athelney
 Baring
 Forster Park
 John Ball
 St Bartholomew’s
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