Leveraging Restorative Practices in BIT Work 

Published on: October 23, 2025

A NABITA Tip of the Week by Mandy Hambleton, M.S.

Practitioners on school and college-based Behavioral Intervention Teams (BITs) sit at the nexus of care, conduct, safety, and support. These teams are tasked with preventing harm, responding to complex behavior, and helping students navigate moments of challenge or crisis. BIT effectiveness requires a high level of discernment, empathy, and flexibility. 

One of the most powerful and underused tools in a BIT’s toolbox is the integration of restorative practices. Conflict is almost always a reflection of something more profound, what psychologist Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., the “father of nonviolent communication,” would call “a tragic expression of unmet needs.” Restorative practices acknowledge this reality and seek to meet it. 

Understanding the Roots of Conflict in BIT Work 

Conflict, at its core, is a human experience. It’s messy, emotional, and often misunderstood. But behind every instance of conflict, whether between roommates, peers, or a student and faculty member, there’s an unmet need trying to be heard. 

Most conflicts are fueled by one (or more) of three primary unmet needs: 

1. Power and control – A desire to have influence or agency over oneself/the environment 

2. Care and connection – A longing to feel seen, understood, and supported 

3. Respect and recognition – A need for acknowledgment, fairness, or dignity 

These needs often surface in two ways: 

• Relational complaints, which involve interpersonal struggles. For example, a student might make a referral because a classmate’s behavior feels dismissive or disrespectful, or a roommate might report ongoing tension about their shared living space. 

• Structural complaints, which involve systems, policies, or resources. For example, a student may be frustrated with limited access to mental health appointments or a perception that grading or housing policies are inequitable. These often masquerade as relational complaints, such as a student blaming a peer or professor, when the real issue is embedded in institutional structure. 

When we treat all conflict as misbehavior to correct, we can miss opportunities for learning, repair, and growth. 

Moving Beyond Consequences to Repair 

In education, when a student breaks a rule, a consequence is applied. It’s tempting to lean on what’s familiar: conduct sanctions, no-contact orders, or “one and done” referrals. But traditional, adversarial processes don’t always meet the moment, especially when our goal is not just to manage risk, but to support development and reintegration. 

When we over-rely on artificial consequences (those that don’t directly relate to the behavior), we risk alienating students, escalating conflict, and missing teachable moments. 

Restorative approaches ask a different set of questions: 

• What harm occurred? 

• Who was affected? 

• What needs to be done to repair the harm? 

We also must think carefully about the types of consequences we impose: 

• Natural consequences occur without intervention, such as when a student misses a deadline and receives a lower grade. 

• Logical consequences are intentional and connected to behavior, such as when a student who disrupted a class may be asked to participate in a circle conversation to discuss classroom dynamics. 

• Artificial consequences are disconnected and often punitive, such as an automatic suspension for a first-time behavioral concern, without assessing root causes. 

Although BITs aren’t implementing consequences, they are in a unique position to steer intervention responses toward logical consequences that support both accountability and learning. Moreover, while BITs cannot mandate actions from students, they can incorporate restorative practices into their interventions and advocate for their conduct offices to adopt these approaches as part of their sanctioning processes. 

What Are Restorative Practices, and Why Should BITs Use Them? 

Restorative practices are grounded in the idea that community members thrive when they feel connected, respected, and responsible to one another.  

While restorative justice typically responds to harm after it has occurred, restorative practices can be applied more broadly to harm prevention and relationship building. They include a continuum of strategies that proactively build and sustain community, from regular check-ins and shared agreements to restorative circles and reintegration support. 

Restorative practices teach core skills like listening, empathy, taking accountability, and repairing harm. For BITs, they offer a values-aligned way to intervene with care, rather than control. They also provide a better chance of sustained behavior change, de-escalation resulting from addressing root causes, and reduced recidivism. 

Integrating Restorative Tools in BIT Processes 

Here are four ways that restorative tools can strengthen BIT work in direct, meaningful ways. The individual’s participation in these activities, especially when offered through the BIT, is voluntary, and the BIT cannot require or coerce participation. However, the BIT can facilitate information sharing with the conduct office and work collaboratively to determine appropriate interventions from the BIT and effective sanctions from the conduct office. 

1. Conflict Coaching 

Conflict coaching is a one-on-one process where a facilitator supports a community member, often the complainant, in identifying the issue they want to address, practicing strategies for engagement, and role-playing conversations. This equips individuals with communication and self-advocacy skills, thereby preventing escalation and reducing the need for formal intervention. 

2. Facilitated Dialogue 

Facilitated dialogue is a structured conversation between parties in conflict, guided by a neutral facilitator. The goal isn’t agreement; it’s understanding. Each person has the space to speak and be heard, with an emphasis on recognizing harm and fostering healing. This is especially effective in relational disputes, such as tension between peers in a classroom or residence hall. 

3. Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) 

These circles bring together a supportive team of peers and professionals to wrap around a student navigating complex challenges. Adapted from re-entry and recovery models, COSA can: 

• Prevent misconduct-related separation 

• Help students manage academic or personal difficulties 

• Keep students engaged through accountability and encouragement 

These circles are flexible in format and frequency, but the message is consistent: “You are still part of this community, and we’ll support you as you grow.” 

4. Reintegration After Leave or Conduct Separation 

Students returning from medical leave, a mental health crisis, or a student conduct separation often face stigma and uncertainty. Reintegration circles help them re-enter the campus community with dignity by ensuring they feel welcomed while focusing on their future success. This model fosters connection, not surveillance. 

We Can Do Both: Care and Accountability  

Restorative practices aren’t soft. They are structured, principled, and evidence-based. They challenge us to hold ourselves and our students to higher standards of empathy and responsibility. 

To fully embrace restorative practices, BITs can: 

• Use restorative language in policies and communication 

• Shape physical and digital spaces to reflect community values 

• Prioritize relationships, not just interventions 

BITs are uniquely positioned to lead this shift. By embedding restorative practices into BIT work, teams not only manage risk but also cultivate learning environments where repair and growth are both possible and encouraged. 

Ready to strengthen your team and adopt restorative practices? NABITA provides tools, training, and resources to support your growth. Visit NABITA’s Training and Certification Course Catalog to explore professional development opportunities. Or contact our consulting team at inqury@tngconsulting.com for personalized support.