White Paper

Read the White Paper

WHITE PAPER
From harm to healing: rebuilding trust in Britain's publicly funded institutions.

We recently published our groundbreaking white paper. Our research presents a comprehensive framework for transforming institutional behaviours that perpetuate harm and erode public trust, with evidence-based recommendations for implementing restorative approaches across all publicly funded bodies.

The crisis we’ve identified

Our research reveals a systemic crisis of institutional legitimacy across Britain’s public services. From the Metropolitan Police and NHS to family courts and immigration services, institutions consistently prioritise self-protection over accountability when they cause harm. This “tortfeasor as compensator” problem — where those responsible for harm control the response to it — has created a devastating cycle of institutional denial that compounds the original trauma experienced by survivors.

Key findings that demand action

Public trust in institutions has collapsed from 68% confidence in police (2023) to just 52% (2024)
Only 24% of people are satisfied with the NHS, the lowest level in decades
80% of eligible Windrush survivors refuse compensation from the Home Office that harmed them
The NHS pays more in maternity negligence claims than it spends on maternity services

Our evidence-based framework

Through extensive case study analysis, survivor interviews, and quantitative polling, we have developed a four-part framework for institutional healing:

Acknowledgement: Public truth-telling that validates survivors’ experiences
Apology: Genuine, specific accountability that takes full responsibility
Accountability: Independent oversight and survivor-centred processes
Amends: Structural reforms that prevent future harm and rebuild trust

Our recommendations for the Government

The white paper presents urgent primary recommendations:

Legislate a National Restorative Framework mandating restorative principles across all public institutions
Establish an Independent Office for Institutional Accountability with survivor-led oversight
Introduce leadership training programs centred on trauma-informed, reflective and rehabilitative governance

Our approach addresses the core institutional dynamics that perpetuate harm. Groupthink and defensive leadership cultures have created environments where protecting institutional reputation matters more than serving the public. We demonstrate how restorative approaches can transform these dynamics, creating cultures of transparency, accountability, and genuine public service.

The path forward: a Coalition for Institutional Accountability

We are spearheading a new Coalition for Institutional Accountability, a transformative initiative bringing together survivors, practitioners, and policy advocates to implement these recommendations. This Coalition will drive the cultural transformation needed to rebuild trust in Britain’s public institutions.

Evidence of what works

The WayFinders Group’s methodology moves beyond traditional reform approaches that operate within the same institutional mindset that created the harm. Our research showcases successful examples of institutional transformation, from HMP Grendon’s therapeutic community model to the NHS’s response to the infected blood scandal. These cases prove that when institutions embrace vulnerability and accountability, healing and trust-building become possible.

Leading systemic change

We facilitate genuine transformation by:

Creating safe spaces for uncomfortable truths about institutional failure
Keeping survivor voices at the centre of process-design
Challenging the punitive culture that prioritises punishment over healing
Building frameworks for ongoing dialogue between institutions and affected communities

We don’t simply identify problems — we provide the tools and frameworks for sustainable transformation. Our work with police forces, healthcare trusts, local authorities, and educational institutions demonstrates that institutional culture change is both necessary and achievable when approached with humility, courage, and commitment to genuine accountability.