‘I think we’ve told you everything we can’: exploring a restorative philosophy in action through the voices of young people with social, emotional and mental health needs

Journal article

This article explores a restorative philosophy in action through the voices of young people with social, emotional, and mental health needs in a special school in South East England. Drawing on walking-tour interviews, ethnographic field notes, and reflexive conversations, the study reveals how these young people conceptualise this philosophy as a rights-based approach to safety, mediated by adults attuned to justice- and rejection-sensitivity. Rather than viewing it as a scripted resolution process, they describe restorative work as embedded in everyday care, with flexibility as a key expectation. Their communities echo these views, reporting secondary harm from proximity to disability - suggesting that, when shaped by systemic harm, disability can be experienced collectively. This creates additional obligations for restorative philosophies that extend beyond the individual. Furthermore, the study highlights how experiences are shaped by bounded contexts, diagnostic mechanisms, and the tendency to frame social, emotional, and mental health needs as invisible disabilities.

Authors: Procter-Legg, T

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Journal: Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 114-130
• Publication date: 2025-11-19
• Acceptance date: 2025-10-31
• DOI: 10.1080/13632752.2025.2588535
• EISSN: 1741-2692
• ISSN: 1363-2752
• Language: English
• Keywords: special school; disability; restorative justice; restorative practice; education