Mark Finnis

Enfield’s Secondary Behaviour Support Service has had the pleasure of working with Mark Finnis for several years. He embodies relational practice and his solution focussed approach to creating positive supportive environments for people to work and attend as students, is unparalleled. His ability to explain, model and strategically plan for implementation of restorative practice is exceptional.

Mark has given us valuable support, in helping us to think through what a restorative practice framework would look like in Cafcass. He has taught, coached and delivered sessions with staff and leaders, being a part of what has helped to make a difference for children. He simplifies the needlessly complex and makes everything seem so possible. His knowledge, skills and experience in restorative and relational practice coupled with his easy going nature and personality helps to bring things to life with sparkle and vigour. 

For over a decade Mark has been influencing teachers and leaders in my schools. As an expert in both relational and restorative practice, he is my 'go to' person for the delivery of thought provoking, energising and motivational training. When looking to shift cultural thinking in a school then Mark ticks all the boxes.

Mark has worked with Children 1st for over 6 years, he is one of our go to people when it comes to embedding values and best practice in our colleagues. His passion, knowledge and unique style of delivery means that he has had the most profound impact on the way we do things at Children 1st. He has helped us drive a culture where children's rights, warm and respectful relationships and purpose led values are at the heart of everything we do.

I have worked with Mark for almost a decade. During this time, I have seen him develop into one of the most impactful speakers that I work with. He manages to get his audience (whether they be teachers, leaders, trainees or support staff) to think about their world differently. Schools can be places of traditions and set opinions, to manage to get a group to see the behaviour issues they encounter in a different light is an incredible skill.

In my experience Mark is a lively and engaging trainer with a passion for his subject that is infectious. He supported my learning process with plenty of real world examples, which I found very helpful. As a mentor, he is generous with his time and experience. He doesn't just talk about Restorative Practice, he lives it.

Mark worked with us to introduce the concept of Restorative Practices to a multi-disciplinary and sometimes sceptical audience. The authority and passion of his presentations and his engaging style were highly effective in informing participants and bringing them on board.

We first booked Mark to speak at our annual Headteacher conference to an audience of 100 school leaders. Mark's keynote was engaging, thought-provoking and completely relatable with steps to immediately bring back into practice. I've since visited schools in Scarborough, Hull, York and surrounding areas who now regularly quote Mark Finnis and attribute much of their school improvement planning to his work and the ethos underpinning relational and restorative practice.