Q. "Is there a way to restore an employee who had a physical outburst with a student?"
Answer:
Relationally, yes, but professionally, no. Keeping that employee in their current role is a failure of stewardship and protection.
While the impulse for many church leaders is to jump straight to counseling and restoration, any physical violence against a minor requires immediate administrative leave and a transition out of that position.
If a leader strikes a child, the "injury" isn't just physical; it is a breach of trust with the family, the students and volunteers who witnessed it, and the constituency at large. Keeping them on staff communicates that favoritism outranks the safety of those students.
Restoration is a beautiful and biblical concept, but it is not synonymous with job security. You can pursue the spiritual restoration of a brother or sister while simultaneously acknowledging that they have disqualified themselves from leadership.
True restoration requires the employee to step out of leadership and focus on their own character and healing. You can love them through the process as a brother or sister, but you must protect the integrity of your organization's mission by removing them from any leadership position.