Restorative Practices

The embedding of restorative justice practices into our policies, procedures and interactions is a whole school commitment to quality relationships.

It establishes a philosophy and a set of practices that reflect a commitment to inclusiveness and collaborative problem solving.

It provides schools with strategies to manage students with challenging behaviours while maintaining the respect and dignity of all parties.

As a philosophy, Restorative Justice provides schools with a framework of management that moves away from the traditional punitive response. While still providing limits and consequences it looks for ways to repair the damaged relationships and improve existing relationships.

Restorative Practices in Catholic School communities such as Mount St. Joseph Girls' College are focussed on helping young people become aware of the impact of their behaviour on others through personal accountability and learning from a conflict situation. An important component is restoring the harm but still following through with consequences for the student(s).

Restorative Practices aim to develop:

• Communities that value the building of quality relationships coupled with clear expectations and limits.
• Restorative skills in the way we interact with young people-using teachable moments to enhance learning.
• Restorative processes that resolve conflict and repair damaged relationships.
• Communities that are forward looking, optimistic and inclusive.

Restorative Practices Underlying Principles:

• Focus on the relationship and how people are affected.
• Restore damaged relationships.
• Talk about the behaviour without blaming or being personal.
• See mistakes and misbehaviour as an opportunity for learning.
• Accept that sometimes we cannot get to the ultimate truth.
• Be future focussed and talk about how to make things right.

Using restorative practices at our College means that students, teachers and parents will work collaboratively to develop solutions to misbehaviour, thus the benefits are real as they will be evident in the student/teacher, student/student, parent/teacher interactions and in the respectful, positive school climate that is felt and seen by all.