Mediation vs Restorative Practices

What's the Difference?

When you're faced with conflict, two common approaches to resolution are mediation and restorative practices. Both of these aim to resolve issues, but with a different intention & process.

Mediation: Focus on Agreement

Mediation is about finding common ground. The question here is, “What can we both live with?” Mediators help participants negotiate a resolution to specific issues. The goal is mutual understanding and compromise.

Restorative Practices: Focus on Repair

Restorative practices centres around healing and repair. The key question in this process is, “What’s important about what happened, and how can we repair and prevent harm?”

Here’s how restorative practices differ from mediation:

• Focus on relationships: prioritise repairing relationships and addressing harm.

• More preparation: involves more preparation beforehand & deeper discussions during the process.

• Group settings: participants are often seated in a circle, creating a more inclusive space.

• Personal voice: participants speak for themselves, but support people are welcome.

The Key Difference

At its core, the main difference is in the intention: mediation seeks an agreement that both parties can accept, while restorative practices aim to heal relationships and repair the harm caused.