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Relationship skills based on restorative practice principles

By Charlotte Calkin

Charlotte Calkin (Director of Restorative Engagement Forum) and Dr Lucy Willmott (Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge) discuss the ReSeT (Relationship Skills Training) course in this blog post for Clinks.

The ReSeT course merges restorative practice principles with prison staff-prisoner relationships. Positive relationships are at the heart of prison life, and the program trains prison officers to teach residents communication and conflict management skills.

The program uses proactive and reactive restorative practice techniques delivered through multimedia training designed initially for young offenders but adaptable to other populations.

A process evaluation examined whether the course maintained its integrity and identified effective elements. The assessment involved mixed methods across three cohorts at HMP Warren Hill.

The program received significant positive feedback from all residents, key workers, and managers, with reports of behavioural improvements.

Read the full article on Clinks