Restorative Practice: Resolving conflict, Supporting well-being, Delivering positive behaviour. What’s the catch?

The paper aims to demonstrate the positive impact that can be achieved by training primary pupils, school staff and parents in Restorative Practice as a means to resolve conflict and support well-being in the classroom and wider school community. Limitations of the approach will also be considered. Through analysis of case studies in identified areas of disadvantage in both Wales and Ireland, where Restorative Practice training was delivered to whole school communities, evidence will be demonstrated of the promotion of improved pupil/staff relationships and well-being within primary schools. Despite the training offered to parents of pupils and multi-agency workers, the increased use of a restorative approach outside the schools will be shown as negligible. The paper will consider the validity of a restorative ethos that is a proven effective tool for promoting positive behaviour management and pupil well-being but does not appear to easily extend outside the classroom.