The many sea-changes in German culture have given rise to a growing population of children and youth at risk. This article describes the creation of a Positive Peer Culture in a special school for students with emotional and behavioural problems. The authors review challenges facing youth in modern Germany, the implementation of the PPC program,…

Restorative practices focus on repairing the harm to relationships rather than piling on more punishment for violations. Originally popularized in formal conferences between a victim and offender in the justice system, restorative practices have been extended to educational and treatment settings. This article describes how the adversarial climate…

Seventeen children and youth in a treatment program in Belgium were interviewed about their experiences in conflict. They shared their theories of behaviour and perceptions of Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) being employed by staff in their setting.

Few children can control adult emotions more effectively than passive-aggressive youngsters. Their passive lack of compliance can incite even trained professionals to employ ineffective punitive responses. These responses confirm for the child the unreasonable and hurtful nature of adults. In this Life Space Crisis Intervention, the child makes a…

A long-established agency for troubled children was following a philosophy based on behavioral control and treatment of pathology. As staff examined their beliefs about the process of change, the climate evolved from enforcing behavior control to empowering youth to develop positive strengths. A charter school was created and new behavior…

The authors examine the developmental process by which a reclaiming environment was created in an alternative program for students designated emotionally disturbed. Efforts to identify the impetus for change, specific actions, and the ongoing evolution of the program's philosophy are discussed. The current environment is examined in the following…

An enhanced form of Aggression Replacement Training is being used with children and youth with autism spectrum disorder and particularly those with Asperger's Syndrome who present behavioural challenges. Initial results in a Norwegian centre indicate that, with some modifications and enhancements, the programme is an appropriate strategy for…