Respectful Relationships


The Respectful Relationships initiative teaches our children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence. It also supports school leaders, educators and our school communities to promote and model respect and equality.

 

ABOUT RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

We all want our children to have an education that gives them the best start to a happy, healthy and prosperous life. Respectful Relationships supports students to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to strengthen their sense of self, and build and manage safe and respectful relationships.

Respectful Relationships takes a whole-school approach, recognising that schools are a place of learning, a workplace and a key part of local communities. It embeds a culture of respect and equality across our entire school community, from our classrooms to staffrooms, sporting fields, fetes and social events.

This approach leads to positive change in students’ academic outcomes, their wellbeing, classroom behaviour, and relationships between teachers and students. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and gender equality are lived across the school community.

Together, we can lead the way in creating genuine and lasting change so every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

 

IN THE CLASSROOM

Respectful Relationships acknowledges that children of any age have challenges to overcome, teaching social and emotional skills appropriate to their age and level of maturity. It is being taught in all government and Catholic schools and many independent schools from Prep to Year 12, as a core component of the Victorian Curriculum.


In the primary years, Respectful Relationships focuses on treating everyone with respect and dignity. It is taught as part of the Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social Capability areas of the Victorian Curriculum.

The supporting Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials have been developed by world-leading experts from the University of Melbourne. These age-appropriate resources align to the Victorian Curriculum and include lesson plans and activities that help students learn and practise social skills and apply them in a positive way to learning, life and relationships.

The Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships resources cover eight topics for each year level.

Topic 1: Emotional Literacy

Topic 2: Personal Strengths

Topic 3: Positive Coping

Topic 4: Problem Solving

Topic 5: Stress Management

Topic 6: Help-Seeking

Topic 7: Gender and Identity

Topic 8: Positive Gender Relations

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The best relationships are respectful ones. That’s why the Victorian Government is introducing Respectful Relationships in all government schools and many Catholic and independent schools are choosing to participate.

To find out more about Respectful Relationships, please visit: www.education.vic.gov.au/respectfulrelationships