Youth Justice Leaders Expand Controversial Restorative Justice Pilot Across England And Wales To Test How Young Offenders Face Victims

A national youth justice pilot designed to test restorative approaches for children is being expanded across England and Wales after securing multi-year funding.

The programme will introduce a shared restorative justice practice model across 10 youth justice services, with the aim of improving consistency, supporting victims, and helping children take responsibility in a structured way.

Ten Youth Justice Services Join The Next Phase

The pilot is being led by Restorative Justice for All, with support from the Youth Justice Board and funding from the Youth Endowment Fund.

The delivery and evaluation phase will take place in Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Buckinghamshire, the Isle of Wight, Lambeth, Leeds, Northamptonshire, Salford, West Mercia, and Southwark.

New Model Sets Out Practical Steps

The shared model gives youth justice practitioners a 10-step framework covering the full restorative justice process, from referral to follow-up.

It supports both direct and indirect restorative approaches and is designed for children aged 10 to 17. The model is based on the Child First evidence base, keeps victims central to the process, and allows local services to adapt delivery to their own circumstances.

Pilot Builds On Previous Co-Design Work

The expanded programme follows a 2025 co-design phase involving frontline practitioners across 10 youth justice services and a dedicated Restorative Justice Practitioners Board.

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Insights from 15 children with lived experience also helped shape the model, ensuring the approach reflects the realities faced by young people, victims, and local justice teams.

Officials Say Evidence Gap Must Be Closed

Kate Langley, Director of Operations South at the Youth Justice Board, said restorative approaches can help reduce reoffending when delivered well. She said the pilot would strengthen understanding of how high-quality restorative justice can be delivered consistently across the youth justice system.

Professor Theo Gavrielides, Founder and Director of RJ4All, said restorative justice has long lacked the rigorous evidence base it needs in youth justice settings. He said the pilot offers a chance to build stronger evidence for policymakers, victims, and young people.

Independent Evaluation To Measure Results

Coram will independently evaluate the programme through a randomised control trial, which is expected to provide one of the strongest assessments yet of restorative justice in youth justice settings.

Training and implementation will be tailored to each participating service, with oversight intended to maintain quality and consistency throughout the pilot.

Impact and Consequences

If successful, the pilot could reshape how restorative justice is delivered to children across England and Wales. It may provide clearer evidence on whether structured restorative approaches reduce reoffending, support victims, and improve community outcomes.

The programme could also influence future youth justice policy by giving local services a more consistent model while preserving flexibility for local needs.

What’s next?

The model now moves into its delivery and evaluation phase across the 10 participating youth justice services.

An online conference later this year will bring together practitioners, policymakers, and academics to share early lessons and support wider adoption across the system.

Summary

A restorative justice pilot for children is being expanded across England and Wales with multi-year funding.

Led by RJ4All, supported by the Youth Justice Board, and funded by the Youth Endowment Fund, the programme will test a shared practice model across 10 youth justice services and be independently evaluated by Coram.

Bulleted Takeaways:

• A national restorative justice pilot is expanding across England and Wales.
• The programme will test a shared model across 10 youth justice services.
• It is designed for children aged 10 to 17.
• The model includes 10 practical steps from referral to follow-up.
• Coram will independently evaluate the pilot through a randomised control trial.
• The project aims to strengthen evidence on restorative justice in youth justice settings.