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A national accreditation scheme which aims to set a baseline competency for those delivering restorative justice will improve national standards and help boost public confidence.

The National Forum of Restorative Practitioners aims to set the benchmark competency standard for restorative justice practitioners by requiring individuals to complete an accredited qualification with support from qualified case supervisors.

The Forum will also act as a central database where law enforcement organisations and other agencies can find a list of accredited practitioners.

Historically, restorative justice approaches have been criticised for lacking consistency, particularly around how a practitioner can become qualified and how an organisation can bring a qualified practitioner on board.

The rise of restorative justice as a criminal justice disposal measure has grown in prominence over the last few years. Last year £23 million was made available to police and crime commissioners to help deliver this approach in their communities over the next three years.

The use of restorative justice has also been credited for reducing repeat offending by more than 14 per cent.

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, national lead for restorative justice, said: “As more and more people have access to restorative justice, it is important that we secure victim confidence by ensuring that the restorative justice they experience is facilitated by quality practitioners.

“This forum will give a platform for those practitioners to share their experiences and help to further develop their skills. I think that it is very important that those who facilitate restorative justice should be able to demonstrate that they can be trusted to help victims and offenders to gain maximum benefit from the process.”

Sir Charles Pollard, Chairman of Restorative Solutions, one of the organisations behind the venture, added: “We are setting in place a benchmark of quality for restorative practice.”

For more information about the forum or to register as a practitioner, click here.