childrens home and a primary school.

Heres what
they had to say:
Peter Spearman Atkinson Secure Childrens Home
Why did Atkinson Secure Childrens Home decide to take part
in the test phase of the RSQM?

Once I became an RJC aliated trainer it was a really natural progression to then go for the RSQM. We
had already been delivering restorative practices for the last four years, and we had a quality assurance
process in place. We had seen the really eective outcomes of restorative approaches beneting all of the
kids in the home - we had reduced restraint by 91 per cent and had reduced single separation by 95 per
cent. We had a complete culture change in the home and we directly linked it to restorative approaches. So
it was really exciting for me to have somebody to come from outside and say, You are not nuts, we like
HILDREN)CS.pdf
3
03/03/2014
doing this
stu
too, and07:36
maybe we can all do it together.

How did you find the process of achieving the RSQM?

It was a few extra weekends work! It took time to be able to make sure that we had everything in line
with the code of practice and that we could really evidence that we were meeting every single standard,
and it was really important to us to be able to make sure that we passed fully. It was pretty dicult getting
our heads around the fact that everybody had to jump on board at the same time because in our home the
work goes on 24 hours and 7 days a week, so its dicult to see everybody at the same time. It was a lot of
hard work but it was denitely worth it.

What kind of support did you get from the RJC while you were
going for the RSQM?

02

Restorative Service Quality Mark

We had Graham Doubleday as our assessor, and he is brilliant. The
He was
always on the other end of the
Case Studies
phone, and was quite happy to get emails at midnight, and he denitely was really excited
to come
February
2014and do
the site visits. We also had Jemma and Linda from the RJC helping us out - everybody at the RJC probably
had a phone call from me at some point, with some question, but they didnt mind.

Why do you think its important to have standards?

For me, as a treasurer of 17 secure childrens homes, it is very important to evidence to our regulators
Ofsted, Youth Justice Board - that we are in line with modern day practices and that we are forward
thinking and ahead of the game. And so I wanted to be on board with the RSQM as one of the rst people
because Im denitely passionate about the way in which my sta deliver our restorative approaches. But to
have Ofsted and other regulators be able to come in and see that somebody from outside us, that we have
invited in to assess our home, is also saying its a great place, helps us. And it helps the children at the end
of the day, because all we are trying to do is help kids lives.

How did it feel to learn that youd achieved the RSQM?

I am a bit of a cry baby and might have cried a little bit! Its when you work with kids every day, you really
see the eects of positive changes taking place. You do restorative approach questions ve questions:
whats happening? How are you feeling? Who is aected? Whats going to happen? How are you going to
make that happen? However you put those questions, our kids see realisation at the end of it. For us to get
the award, to say that we are doing that for children, is really a big deal.