It is not about Restorative Practices

It is not about Restorative Practices per se

To paraphrase this profound GapingVoid cartoon:

Restorative practices are not the thing. It is the person, family, home, team, class, school, community... that you build with restorative practices that are the real thing.

Restorative practices/justice are a powerful set of strategies and tools but they have no value in themselves. Their value lies in enabling  ordinary people to

• Resolve often serious problems 
• Repair harm done
• (Re-)build relationships and 
• Build the "community".

And this is why the Social Discipline Window is at the core of Restorative Practices. 

Building relationships and community cannot be done TO or FOR the people involved. And it won't happen is no-one gets involved. 

To build a "house" (community) it necessary to work WITH the people involved. This means providing the necessary Support and Challenges that are embedded in all Restorative Practices.