In this episode, Clare talks to Murray Hodge-Neill, Assistant Director of the PBL team at the ACT Education Directorate, Australia, about restorative approaches in education.

In Part 1 of a two-part series, they discuss the history of and terminology around restorative approaches. They also explore the key principles and components of a restorative approach and what some of the barriers might be for staff and schools.

Murray is a teaching professional in Canberra, Australia. He is an accredited Team Teach trainer and currently manages Team Teach training for all 93 schools in the ACT Education Directorate, including supporting approximately 150 Foundation trainers.

Murray has expertise in restorative processes in schools and is a trained Restorative Conference Facilitator. Murray leads the Restorative School Communities Initiative in ACT schools, providing professional learning and implementation support directly to schools.

He shares some useful terminology around restorative approaches:

Restorative approach – Conducting oneself in personal interactions in ways that prioritise relationship, seek to understand with empathy, and value each individual. A restorative approach is collaborative, looks for solutions, and strives to be at peace with those around you.

Restorative culture – An environment where all people use a restorative approach. Relationship, empathy, and collaboration are central when making decisions and addressing harm or conflict.

Restorative conversations – An approach to resolving conflict or harm that centralises mutual understanding, identifying harm, and agreeing on how to repair harm and interact more positively in the future. A restorative conversation explores what happened, what harm was caused, how it is currently affecting people and relationships, and deciding the way forward. Restorative conversations also look beyond what was done and said, to include what people are thinking and feeling.

Restorative conference – A more formal and structured form of restorative conversation that is used for incidents that have a higher level of complexity or harm. Restorative conferences are not scripted, but they follow a structured and consistent format. Restorative conferences should only be facilitated by someone with the skill required for the complexity of the situation.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare talks to Lisa Pinkerton, Head of Education at Widgit Software, about how to use symbols to support emotional regulation.

They talk about what self-regulation and co-regulation mean and how the ability to regulate emotions can impact behaviour. They also discuss how visuals and symbols fit into the teaching of emotional regulation, helping to support individuals, provide scaffolding, reduce cognitive load, and create calm, safe and consistent environments.

Lisa joined the Widgit team in 2025, having been an avid symbol-user and enthusiast throughout her 26 years of teaching in the primary sector. Until recently, Lisa was a Deputy Head Teacher and Inclusion Lead at a large primary school. Alongside this, she worked as a SEND consultant for alternative provisions, and as a qualified specialist teacher for literacy-related difficulties. Lisa’s lifelong passion has been effective inclusion for all pupils, regardless of background, needs or ability. She continues to share this enthusiasm through being a Lead Facilitator for the NPQSENCo award with the Best Practice Network.

You can find out more about Widgit Software on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, or on their website.

Lisa also shares three tips during the episode:

• Focus on consistent routines and relational practice, to help individuals feel safe, understood, and empowered to self-regulate.
• Use inclusive scaffolds to discuss and develop emotional literacy.
• Plan the environment with intention and care.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgement to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

Warning: This episode includes frank discussions around self-harm which some listeners may find distressing. Please use discretion when listening and take a break if needed.

In this episode, Clare talks to Marie Greenhalgh, Relationships Director at Inclusion Education, about how to have sensitive conversations around self-harm.

They discuss what self-harming behaviour might look like, explore some of the underlying reasons for self-harm, and identify ways to address associated feelings of shame, stigma, and secrecy. They also talk about how to create supportive environments where children and young people feel safe to share their emotions and engage in sensitive conversations.

Marie is Relationships Director at Inclusion Education, where she has worked for over 16 years, building programmes and education provision that support young people with mental health needs and neurodivergence.

She was Project Lead for Baton of Hope Tour, Basingstoke in 2025 and co-authored ‘All the Things They Never Told You About Teaching: Facilitating Sensitive Conversations with Our Learners’ and 'Supporting Bereaved Children in the Primary Classroom’, both of which are published by Routledge.

She is also a Community Ambassador for Winston’s Wish, and monthly columnist for Fusion Magazine UK. Marie is passionate about diversity, inclusion, wellbeing, and challenging the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health and suicide.

You can find Marie on LinkedIn or go to Inclusion Education to find out more about how to support children and young people in your organisation.

Marie also shares three tips during the episode:

• Listen with empathy and compassion, not judgement.
• Know your processes, to make sure you are equipped with the confidence to have difficult conversations.
• Conversations around self-harm can be very upsetting, so make sure you seek support for yourself, too.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.