This Quality Assurance Framework was commissioned by the Restorative Practices Strategic Forum (RPSF), a membership body open to all those who have a role in the strategic management and development of restorative practices in Ireland. The Forum’s vision is of Ireland as a restorative society that embraces restorative approaches as a philosophy and practice, integral to all relationships. It promotes and supports the use of restorative approaches spanning all sectors of the community. Supported by the Childhood Development Initiative, the RPSF has brought together key stakeholders from North and South, voluntary and statutory, practice and academic, community and institutional settings, and together we have developed a set of objectives and activities to drive and embed high quality restorative practices.

One of the Forum’s key objectives is to develop capacity, systems and infrastructures that support the growth, evolution and sustainability of restorative practices. The Quality Assurance Framework is an important step in achieving this objective. It is designed to provide clear, practical information and encourage and support individuals and organisations to achieve high-quality restorative practice consistently for the benefit of all. It is anticipated that this Framework will be updated regularly in future years.

It is hoped that the Framework will be a valuable tool to those delivering restorative services. For many practitioners and service managers, it will offer familiar concepts and approaches as well as a checklist for systematically reviewing practice from time to time. It may also have value in supporting and informing the training of new practitioners and in continuing professional development.