WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?

Pete Wall

is & Joseph W

ilkins

Designed for use in schools, this comic is a key resource for helping children aged 8-13 to understand restorative justice and prepare for a rest

‘Restorative practitioners know there is alwadelightful comic book is a wonderful narrative about hoprocess, can bring healing. I can’t wait to ha

– Margaret Thorsborne, rest

Jake doesn’t know why Ry

Ryan doesn’t kno

How will they sort it out?

Pete Wallis is the Senior Practitioner in RestoraOxfordshire Youth JUSTICE Service UK and a founding member of the charity SAFE! Support for young people affected by crimewritten and co-written several books on restorarelated topics for JKP.

Joseph Wilkins is a freelance illustraOxford. He graduated from Falmouth College of Arts in 2006. His website can be found at www.josephwilkins.co.uk.

After a mix-up between Jake and Ryan leads tboys are left feeling angry and scared about what might happen when they see

each other again. Instead of keeping Jake and Ryan apart, Miss Jones arranges a restorative meeting to help them t

and turn their negative emo

Jake and Ryan are able to sort out their conflict through a

restorative justice meeting. Although the term ‘restorative

justice’ may be more familiar from the world of criminal justice,

over the past couple of decades people working in a wide

range of different contexts have discovered the benefits of the

restorative approach. Managing conflict justly is as important

in a children's home, school, housing or health setting or

neighbourhood as it is following a crime. While some prefer the

term 'restorative approaches' to 'restorative justice', people

across the globe are finding that restorative values, principles

and practices have value in virtually every situation involving

relationships between people.

Miss Jones has clearly been trained in restorative justice, but

the initial reaction of her school to Jake and Ryan's conflict

is both authoritarian and punitive. In a school setting, there

is a wonderful opportunity to go beyond simply stepping

in to mediate between people when things go wrong.

The whole culture and ethos of a school can be made

restorative. A restorative school pays attention

to the quality of relationships in the classroom,

playground and staff room, recognising that

putting aside time to nurture relationships leads

to a healthier, happier and more productive

environment. Restorative justice gives teachers,

pupils and parents – indeed, the whole school

community – the skills to foster respectful

relationships, and to resolve minor conflicts before

they escalate.

About Restorative Justice

The five core restorative principles outlined below are the building blocks for creating respectful relationships, and become the steps in the process of repairing relationships when things go wrong:

1. Everyone has a unique perspectiveWe create time and space for everyone to share their personal stories and narratives through respectful and non-judgemental listening, recognising that good-quality attention is a precious resource.

2. How we behave is connected to our thoughts and feelingsWe offer others an insight into our inner world when we talk about our thoughts and feelings. Encouraging emotional literacy helps to tame difficult feelings, and when people share one another’s emotional state, empathy develops naturally.

3. Every action has a consequenceWe are all connected, and an important part of growing up is to recognise that our every action has consequences for others. If we hurt someone we can learn how others are affected, and by exploring how far the ripples of harm can spread, the restorative approach encourages responsibility and accountability.

4. NeedsMiss Jones asks Jake and Ryan what they need to feel better. When people in a conflict situation are supported in exploring the needs that led to or arise from the conflict, they realise that the only way to meet these needs is through communication with the other person.

5. The person with the problem is best placed to find the solutionOne of the great things about restorative justice is that it releases us from having to fix other people's issues. Once people clearly identify their needs, the way forward naturally follows.

Benefits for schoolsSchools that have fully embedded a restorative approach

report a reduction in sanctions and exclusions, fewer incidents

of violence, criminal damage, racism and aggression, improved

academic outcomes and reduced staff sickness. OfSTED

recognise the value of restorative justice in creating a positive

culture in schools. The approach builds empathy, develops skills

in self-management and strengthens the inner moral compass

through accountability and empowerment.

Find out moreBelinda Hopkins developed the model based on the five themes or

core beliefs described above, drawing on the work of restorative

justice pioneers and practitioners from all over the world. Check

out her website www.transformingconflict.org and her seminal

book Just Schools (JKP). The Restorative Justice Council is

the national umbrella organisation for restorative justice. Its

website provides information about training, resources, quality

standards, research and events: www.restorativejustice.org.uk.

Written more from a criminal justice perspective, Understanding

Restorative Justice (Policy Press) provides a clear guide to the

inner workings of restorative justice, exploring how the process

of bringing people into communication restores connection and

develops empathy.

of related interest

Implementing Restorative Practices in SchoolsA Practical Guide to Transforming School CommunitiesMargaret Thorsborne and Peta BloodISBN 978 1 84905 377 8eISBN 978 0 85700 737 7

Cartooning Teen StoriesUsing comics to explore key life issues with young peopleJenny DrewISBN 978 1 84905 631 1eISBN 978 1 78450 106 8

How to Create Kind Schools12 extraordinary projects making schools happierJenny HulmeISBN 978 1 84905 591 8eISBN 978 1 78450 157 0

Just SchoolsA Whole School Approach to Restorative JusticeBelinda HopkinsISBN 978 1 84310 132 1eISBN 978 1 84642 432 8

A Practical Guide to Restorative Practice for SchoolsTheory, Knowledge, Skills and Strategies for SuccessBill HansberryISBN 978 1 84905 707 3eISBN 978 1 78450 232 4

First published in 2016by Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier StreetLondon N1 9BE, UK

and400 Market Street, Suite 400Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.jkp.com

Copyright © Pete Wallis and Joseph Wilkins 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this

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1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the

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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication DataA CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataA CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 78592 016 5eISBN 978 1 78450 260 7