Restorative Practice and Special Needs: A Practical Guide to Working Restoratively with Young People

by Nicholas Burnett, Nicholas Burnett, Nancy Riestenberg (Foreword)

Restorative Practice (RP) is an effective approach to discipline that has the potential to transform behaviour by focusing on building and restoring relationships. This practical guide explains how to implement restorative approaches with young people with special needs in educational or residential settings. The book explores how RP is being used in general terms and through a number of case studies looks at how RP needs to be adapted for those with additional needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability and communication difficulties. It includes guidance on particular issues such as staff facing crises, the issue of physical restraint and additional support parents require. The book will be of interest to restorative practitioners, educational professionals including headteachers, teachers and SENCOs in both special education and mainstream schools and residential care leaders and staff.

Genres: Education

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2015

Reviews

[Teagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found a lot of value in this text, and it’ll be one I refer back to often! Some decent practical strategies shared for supporting children with their social and emotional competencies when they have communication, cognition and/or behavioural difficulties (which is every single student in a special education setting).

I also enjoyed reading about the biological underpinnings of emotion, and the theory of ‘affect and script psychology’. I appreciated how it expanded on the simplified, overused and reductionist adage “all behaviour is communication” *eye-roll*

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource with really good examples and case studies. I like the recommendation to not only make RP more accessible but also to use it as an SEL learning tool. The chapter on the use of physical restraint was really interesting. I appreciated the nuanced approach to the topic and the idea of using RP in the aftermath of a restraint incident to support all involved including witnesses.

[Stuart Macalpine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good practical guide to building a culture of restorative practice, with a focus on how this can support learners with special needs and what kinds of processes and accommodations might best support them to engage with the process.