Restorative Pilot Expansion Boosts Justice in England & Wales

Restorative pilot expansion is set to deliver a shared practice model of restorative justice across ten youth justice services (YJSs). The initiative is spearheaded by Restorative Justice for All (RJ4All), with support from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and multi-year funding from the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF). This model empowers youth justice practitioners to implement restorative approaches consistently for children aged 10 to 17. It outlines ten actionable steps that cover the entire process, from referral to follow-up, while accommodating both direct and indirect methods. Grounded in a Child First evidence base, it prioritizes victims and offers flexibility to meet local needs. The expansion will build upon lessons learned from the 2025 co-design model, during which RJ4All collaborated with frontline practitioners across ten YJSs and a dedicated Restorative Justice Practitioners Board. Insights from 15 children with lived experiences were instrumental in shaping the Shared Practice Model for restorative justice implementation within youth settings. Now entering its Delivery and Evaluation phase, the model will be further tested across YJSs in Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Buckinghamshire, the Isle of Wight, Lambeth, Leeds, Northamptonshire, Salford, West Mercia, and Southwark. The YJB provided strategic oversight and endorsed the model, contributing national leadership, practice expertise, and quality assurance for its development. This support facilitated effective recruitment and engagement across YJSs to foster strong partnerships and sector-focused activities. Kate Langley, Director of Operations South at the YJB, stated, "Restorative approaches play a powerful role in reducing reoffending when delivered well. This pilot will help strengthen the evidence on what works to deliver high-quality restorative justice across the youth justice system." The YJB's mission is to support local services in enhancing practice, and this initiative aims to yield valuable insights into the effective and consistent delivery of restorative approaches for children, victims, and communities. Professor Theo Gavrielides, Founder and Director of RJ4All, emphasized, "For too long, restorative justice in the youth justice system has operated without the kind of rigorous evidence base it deserves. This pilot is an opportunity to change that." The combined efforts of RJ4All and participating YJSs will contribute essential data for policymakers, victims, and young individuals themselves. Since becoming a statutory aspect of the system in 1998, high-quality evidence on effective restorative justice practices has been limited. This program is designed to rectify this gap. Coram will conduct an independent evaluation through a randomized control trial, offering one of the most thorough assessments of restorative justice in youth settings to date. The model is founded on a Child First evidence base and introduces minimum expectations for delivering services while allowing for local adaptability. Training and implementation will be customized for each service, ensuring ongoing oversight for consistency and quality throughout the pilot. An online conference scheduled for later this year will unite practitioners, policymakers, and academics to discuss initial findings and promote wider system adoption. Further details will be shared in due course. For more information on this initiative, visit [Youth Justice Board](https://yjb.gov.uk) and [Restorative Justice Council](https://restorativejustice.org.uk). For additional resources, visit [www.globemigrant.com/link1](http://www.globemigrant.com/link1) and [www.globemigrant.com/link2](http://www.globemigrant.com/link2). Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/expansion-of-restorative-pilot-across-england-and-wales

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