Relational and Restorative Practice conference valuable opportunity to support the University of Portsmouth’s civic agenda

The University of Portsmouth hosted a successful conference organised by the Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry (RRP CoI), a cross-sector collaboration whose aim is to support the understanding and growth of restorative practice in the city.

Delegates were joined by Peter Leonard, the Chief Executive Officer of the national Centre for Emotional Health, The Centre for Emotional Health | Training for professionals working with families, who opened the conference with a compelling keynote address about the link between restorative approaches and emotional wellbeing. Over 200 participants, including academics, local public and third sector practitioners, and students, joined a range of workshops and sessions aimed at showing the power of healthy relationships and how to support them through restorative practices.

The conference, funded by a workforce grant from NHS England, aimed to deepen understanding of these practices and explore their diverse applications. It provided practical insights, supported networking opportunities, and enhanced the skills of practitioners through engaging, hands-on workshops led by field experts.

Sue Knight, Civic Project Officer, University of Portsmouth, said “It was a real privilege to be part of such a fantastic event, connecting with both new faces and long-time colleagues. Hosting the conference was a valuable opportunity for us to support our civic agenda and contribute to meaningful discussions. The enthusiasm and feedback from the day highlighted the city’s need for more events like this, and I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for including me in this inspiring experience. I look forward to supporting a continued momentum toward a restorative city.”

Matt Gummerson, Assistant Director of Public Health at PCC, said "It was fantastic to see and learn from so many teams across Portsmouth who are working in restorative and relational ways. This event hopefully deepened our shared understanding in restorative and relational approaches and gave people skills and ideas that they can take back into their day to day work and life."

Future Plans

Building on the conference's success, the Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry hopes to facilitate collaboration between researchers and practitioners, to enable research and practice, sustaining the momentum of our work through further seminars, events and training.

The conference highlighted the crucial role of relational and restorative practices in supporting healthier, more inclusive communities, aligned with the ‘positive relationships’ theme of Portsmouth’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy. It also paved the way for future initiatives, with a clear vision for expanding its impact and leading advancements in this important area of research and practice.

Please see RRiP CoI Webpage for further information.