Havering Newsletter

SEND – EP team – Zero Tolerance or Restorative Approaches – What does the evidence tell us?

Zero tolerance Although definitions differ, Zero Tolerance behaviour policies typically focus on strict predetermined punishments in response to challenging behaviour, under the premise that these punishments will deter other students from showing similar behaviours in the future. These policies are often linked back to drug enforcement policies in the US justice system. Disproportional use However concerns have been raised as to whether these policies are effective when it comes to behaviour management in schools. The American Psychological Association conducted a comprehensive review looking at the efficacy of ‘Zero Tolerance’ policies and concluded that there was ‘surprisingly’ little data to suggest that these policies were effective at improving incidents of challenging behaviour in schools and went against ‘current best knowledge concerning adolescent development’. Other research highlighted that schools which had higher exclusion rates did not have better academic outcomes among non-excluded students. In addition to this, it has been suggested that the underlying principles of Zero Tolerance policies may not apply to all students, for example fixed term exclusions can be seen as a reward as opposed to a punishment ( Tobin, Sugai, & Colvin, 1996 ). Zero Tolerance Policies have also been described as ‘inhumane’ by the National Education Union and have continually been disproportionately used against black students . But what alternative policies do schools have when trying to reduce challenging behaviour?

Restorative justice Restorative approaches have been gaining interest within the field of education and the justice system in recent years. Restorative Justice typically focuses on supporting individuals to recognise the impact of their behaviour, repair the harm that has been caused and address the underlying needs of their behaviour. Research has found that restorative approaches can lead to: • Increased attendance and reduced exclusion rates ( Skinns et al., 2009 ) • Increased academic performance ( Todi ć et al., 2020 ) • Increased feelings of school connectedness Acosta et al., 2019 ) • Better relationships between staff and students ( Gregory et al., 2016 ) • Better school climate ( Sandwick et al., 2019 ) For more information about implementing restorative approaches in your setting, please contact behaviour@havering.gov.uk

Dr Matthew Fuller Senior Educational Psychologist – Havering Educational Psychology Team matthew.fuller@havering.gov.uk 01708 433839

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