Restorative Practices in Three Scottish Councils: Final Report of the Evaluation of the First Two Years of the Pilot Projects 2004-2006 (2008)

In 2004, the Scottish Executive established a 30-month pilot project in restorative practices in three local authorities, each of which was funded with about £45,000 annually. The pilot project was later extended until 2008.

This final report shares the findings of the collaborative evaluation of the implementation over the first two years of restorative practices in 18 of the pilot schools: one special, seven primary and 10 secondary schools.

It describes the wide variety of experiences and approaches associated with restorative practices and discusses the impact of the development of restorative practices across the 18 schools. It highlights general factors which may inhibit or facilitate the development and sustainability of restorative practices in schools.

The evaluation indicates that restorative practices, as they are developing in the pilot local authorities and schools, can offer a powerful and effective approach to promoting harmonious relationships in school and to the successful resolution of conflict and harm.