STORY
A national pilot testing the use of restorative justice in youth justice services is being expanded across England and Wales after securing multi-year funding. The project will test a shared practice model across 10 youth justice services, covering Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Buckinghamshire, the Isle of Wight, Lambeth, Leeds, Northamptonshire, Salford, West Mercia and Southwark. It is being led by Restorative Justice for All, supported by the Youth Justice Board and funded by the Youth Endowment Fund.
The model is intended to help youth justice practitioners deliver restorative approaches consistently for children aged 10 to 17. It sets out 10 practical steps, from referral to follow-up, and supports both direct and indirect restorative justice work. The Government said the approach is grounded in the Child First evidence base, centred on victims and designed to allow flexibility for local needs
The pilot follows a 2025 co-design phase involving frontline practitioners, a dedicated Restorative Justice Practitioners Board and insights from 15 children with lived experience. Coram will independently evaluate the programme through a randomised control trial, with the aim of building stronger evidence on what works for children, victims and communities.