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Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships

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Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships

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Practise skills to establish and manage relationships (VCHPEP109)

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Practise skills to establish and manage relationships (VCHPEP109)

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-Examine the influence of emotional responses on behaviour, relationships and health and wellbeing (VCHPEP110)

-Plan and practise strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (VCHPEP108)

-Practise skills to establish and manage relationships (VCHPEP109)

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https://arc.educationapps.vic.gov.au/search?searchtext=vchpep109&fuse=1

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Case studies

Spring Gully Primary School

Watch the Respectful Relationships at Spring Gully Primary School video on Vimeo.

Yarra Hills Secondary College

Watch the Respectful Relationships at Yarra Hills Secondary College video on Vimeo.

For accessible versions of these documents, email respectful.relationships@education.vic.gov.au

Myths and facts

Myth: Respectful Relationships teaches radical gender theory

Fact: Respectful Relationships does not teach radical gender theory. It is a primary prevention initiative to reduce family violence.

Respectful Relationships promotes respect and gender equality and helps students learn how to build healthy relationships. It prepares students to face challenges by developing problem-solving skills and building resilience and confidence.

Schools involved in the Respectful Relationships initiative are building a culture of respect and gender equality, by looking at their practices and policies to drive meaningful change.

The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended Respectful Relationships be introduced to all government schools (Recommendation 189). Evidence presented to the commission showed that family violence is the most pervasive form of violence perpetrated against women in Victoria.

Myth: Education cannot solve the problem of family violence

Fact: Respectful Relationships isn't intended to be the whole solution to addressing family violence, but it is an important primary prevention initiative.

Just like other major social and health issues such as smoking and road tolls, evidence shows that gender-based violence can be prevented by working with the whole population, and in this case, all schools, to address the attitudes, beliefs and knowledge that supports the prevention of violence.

Studies show that school-based violence prevention and Respectful Relationship initiatives can produce lasting changes in attitudes and behaviours.

Respectful Relationships Education in Schools (RREiS) was trialled across 19 schools, reaching 1,700 teachers and 4,000 students. The trial found that the initiative had a positive effect on students' attitudes, knowledge and skills, as well as, school policies, culture and ethos.

Myth: Respectful relationships education teaches boys to feel ashamed and girls to feel like victims

Fact: This is simply not true.

None of the activities in the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials teach students to feel ashamed, or feel like victims.

Respectful Relationships promotes respect and equality and helps boys as well as girls learn how to build healthy relationships.

Myth: The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials are not age appropriate

Fact: The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials were developed by leading education experts, who tailored the materials to each year level from Foundation to year 12 and made sure all information is age-appropriate and grounded in evidence.

Myth: Students will use the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials learning materials like a textbook

Fact: The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials are designed to support teachers to deliver respectful relationships education in the classroom.

Teachers use their experience and knowledge to deliver this material in the most suitable way for their students. Materials were developed by nationally and internationally recognised experts from the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education.

Myth: The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials aren't based on evidence

Fact: This is untrue.

The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials have been developed by experts from the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education, based on evidence from reputable research bodies and leading authorities including:

UNICEF

VicHealth

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing

UNESCO

Myth: Respectful relationships education will mean less time for literacy and numeracy

Fact: The Victorian Government is committed to improving literacy and numeracy outcomes for our students which is why we have recently launched our Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. It provides greater investment and support for teachers through teaching resources and professional development opportunities.

Myth: Respectful relationships education does not address violence against men

Fact: Respectful relationships education is about building positive relationships for all young people.

Students are given the opportunity to explore emotions such as anger and frustration, and develop non-violent problem solving strategies.

All secondary school students, learn about and explore the relationship between gender and power and the way gender stereotypes and behaviours can lead to unhealthy relationships or coping strategies.

Primary school students are supported to learn new skills to build their confidence and resilience.

Myth: Respectful Relationships and the Safe Schools program are the same

Fact: Respectful Relationships and Safe Schools are two very different initiatives.

Safe Schools is a about creating inclusive and safe environments for all students, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual and questioning (LGBTIQA+) students.

Safe Schools seeks to prevent, and respond to, discrimination against LGBTIQA+ students. Safe Schools is not part of the Victorian Curriculum.

Respectful Relationships is part of the curriculum. It promotes respect and gender equality and helps students learn how to build healthy relationships.

Myth: Respectful Relationships will ban fairy tales

Fact: This is untrue.

In schools, the Victorian Curriculum provides opportunities for students to read fairy tales as part of both the Languages and English Curriculum. In early childhood settings, Respectful Relationships will be offered as a voluntary professional learning program to early childhood professionals.

The training encourages early childhood professionals to consider telling stories with a range of different characters in various professions and roles. This provides a diversity of role models for children - for example, female characters who are firefighters, male characters who are nurses.

In fact, as educators reflect on whether there is balance in how genders and professions are represented in toys and books, it is likely that more books and resources will be added to provide balance and diversity in representation.

Myth: This initiative is trying to say that boys can't play with trucks and girls can't play with dolls

Fact: Absolutely not. This initiative is not seeking to make children 'gender neutral' or trying to prevent girls from playing with dolls, or boys with trucks.

Respectful Relationships is about creating an environment in which children are not restricted by gender stereotypes and are free to explore and play as they choose.

Myth: The Respectful Relationships is a sex education program

Fact: Respectful Relationships is separate to sex education in the curriculum.

Myth: Respectful Relationships is part of the early childhood curriculum

Fact: In Victoria, there is no set curriculum for early childhood education. Early childhood education takes a different approach to school-based education, based on the different needs of younger children.

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) guides early childhood educator practice.

The VEYLDF includes Practice Principles about the best ways to support children's learning and development including 'respectful relationships and responsive engagement' and 'equity and diversity', both align with the Respectful Relationships initiative.

Early childhood educators use their professional experience to implement the VEYLDF in their setting, using a range of age-appropriate approaches such as play-based learning.

Myth: Respectful Relationships is a lesson in early childhood settings

Fact: Respectful Relationships is not delivered as a lesson in early childhood settings.

Instead, Respectful Relationships professional learning is voluntary for early childhood educators who opt in, to build their capacity to promote respect and equality and support children to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.

Myth: It's inappropriate for early childhood settings to include Respectful Relationships in their programs

Fact: Early childhood settings have an important role in building the foundations for respectful relationships with young children.

The professional learning is designed to strengthen the capacity of early childhood educators to promote respectful relationships, positive attitudes and behaviours within their teaching approach, to enable children to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.

Further supporting information can be found in the Belonging, being and becoming early years learning framework resource.

Myth: Respectful Relationships claims that children are sexist

Fact: Respectful Relationships is not saying that children are sexist.

Evidence shows that children in early childhood settings may start to exclude others based on their gender. For example - some children may insist that some games are for boys or girls, and may exclude others from playing the game.

This evidence shows it is important for children to be learning about and building healthy and respectful relationships from the early years and to understand their opportunities are not limited by their gender - that girls can grow up to be firefighters or footballers and boys can grow up to be nurses or teachers.

Program background

The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified the critical role that schools and early childhood education have in creating a culture of respect to change the story of family violence for future generations.

In 2016, respectful relationships education became a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from foundation to year 12, and is being taught in all government and Catholic schools and many independent schools.

Everyone in our community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are embedded in our education settings.

Respectful Relationships is about embedding a culture of respect and equality across our entire community, from our classrooms to staffrooms, sporting fields, fetes and social events. This approach leads to positive impacts on student's academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour, and relationships between teachers and students.

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

More information

Curriculum support

Mental health

Anti-bullying

Family violence support

If you are concerned for your safety or that of someone else, contact the police, and call 000 for emergency assistance.

If you have experienced violence or sexual assault and require immediate or ongoing assistance, contact 1800 RESPECT ( 1800 737 732) to talk to a counsellor from the National Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence hotline.

For confidential support and information, contact Safe Steps' 24/7 family violence response line on 1800 015 188.

If you need to talk to someone it is recommended that you speak to your school leadership team about arranging appropriate support. You can also talk to your GP or an allied health professional. Victorian government school staff can also contact the Department of Education's Employee Assistance Program on 1300 361 008.

For more information and resources, visit Family violence: information for employees.

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Australia Day is our nation's largest annual public celebration. We invite all Victorians to Reflect, Respect and Celebrate Australia Day.

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Contemporary Human Sexuality, Consent and Respectful Relationships Education for schools and organisations, students, teachers and parents.

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By the end of Level 2, students describe changes that occur as they grow older. They recognise how strengths and achievements contribute to identities. They understand how emotional responses impact on others' feelings. They examine messages related to health decisions and describe how to help keep themselves and others healthy, safe and physically active.

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Resources

Professional learning

Training on the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships package is available. Contact respectful.relationships@education.vic.gov.au to register your interest.

Respectful Relationships Area-based teams offer professional learning to schools to support their implementation of the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships and to build the capacity of school staff using the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials.

Useful websites

Department of Education and Training consent education resources

External consent education resources

Working with parents and or carers

External support services

The services listed below are available to help students who need support:

provides tailored and holistic mental health support from 9 am to 1 am, 7 days a week, to young people aged 12 to 25 years old. The website also provides resources and a .

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Sexuality and Consent Education: Resources | education.vic.gov.au

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Training on the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships package is available. Contact respectful.relationships@education.vic.gov.au to register your interest. Respectful Relationships Area-based teams offer professional learning to schools to support their implementation of the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships and to build the capacity of school staff using the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials.

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Respectful relationships education: Change the story

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Policy

The purpose of this policy is to emphasise the importance of sexuality education in Victorian government schools, including the teaching of consent, and to explain the role that principals, teaching staff and the school community, play in providing sexuality education to students.

Summary

Sexuality and consent education are part of the Victorian Curriculum, mandated for Government and Catholic schools in Victoria.

The teaching of consent in all government schools in an age-appropriate way from Foundation to Year 12 is mandatory. Guidance and resources are available to support schools in educating students on consent.

Comprehensive sexuality education is most effective when it has a whole-school learning approach and is underpinned by a strong research evidence base.

Schools are not required to seek parental permission for the inclusion of sexuality or consent education.

However, a parent or carer may decide not to allow their child to participate in sexual education.

Details

Sexuality education

All students must receive a comprehensive and age-appropriate sexual health education aligned to the Victorian Curriculum, including the teaching of consent.

However, a parent or carer may decide not to allow their child to participate in the sexual health component of the school's health education.

Working with parents and carers

Productive partnerships between schools, family and the community also provide a strong network of connections that can help young people build social, emotional and positive relationship skills.

The role of the parent or carer is an important part of the shared responsibility of sexuality education and the school should actively support parent engagement activities.

School-based sexuality education programs are more effective when they are developed in consultation with parents and the local community.

In recognition of a shared responsibility for sexuality education, school leaders may cultivate strategic partnerships with the local community and parents.

The role of school leadership in sexuality education

The school's leadership team provides the overall support for the sexuality education program. Generally, this is through:

endorsing the development and ongoing provision of a program that best meets the learning needs of the student population

ensuring appropriate consultation through the school council

supporting staff training to ensure teaching staff have the ability to teach and assess sexuality education against the Victorian Curriculum

ensuring consent is taught in an age-appropriate way

committing the necessary staff time and resources

demonstrating an understanding of the importance of sexuality education

communicating support for sexuality education to the school community

driving the shared responsibility approach to sexuality education

assisting the school community to reach a shared understanding when there are different views about sexuality education

communicating that the provision of comprehensive sexuality education is most effective when it has a whole-school learning approach and is underpinned by a strong research evidence-base.

Principals must ensure that consent is taught in an age-appropriate way from Foundation to Year 12. Guidance and resources are available to support this

The role of the school council

Consultation with school council regarding the sexuality education curriculum is not required but principals may choose to take the curriculum or relevant teaching and learning resources to school council for discussion or noting so that the school council is aware of the way in which sexual education curriculum is organised at the school.

The role of community agencies and external providers

Community agencies and external providers such as community health centres, local council youth programs and peak bodies representing specific cultural groups may assist schools in developing comprehensive sexuality education programs in alignment with the Victorian Curriculum.

Supporting LGBTIQ students

Schools must support and respect sexuality diversity, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, and Queer and questioning (LGBTIQ) students.

For specific information relating to support for same-sex attracted, gender diverse, transgender and intersex students, refer to the Department's policy on .

More information

For more information about sexuality education, teaching programs, professional learning and resources, refer to on the Department's website.

For more information about the Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, refer to the on the VCAA website.

For more information on teaching and implementing Respectful Relationships from Prep to Year 12, refer to the page on the Department's website.

Definitions

Consent
To give consent is to give free agreement without fear, force or pressure.

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The purpose of this policy is to emphasise the importance of sexuality education in Victorian government schools, including the teaching of consent, and to explain the role that principals, teaching staff and the school community, play in providing sexuality education to students.

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Curriculum policy

Sexuality education is compulsory within the Health and Physical Education curriculum.

See: The Victorian Curriculum F-10 Schools are expected to report on sexuality education achievement as with Mathematics, English, Science and so on, reflecting student learning against the VELS framework. While schools develop their own individual learning and teaching programs, all curriculum planned and taught across Victorian schools is assessed against these standards.

Specific reference to content relevant to sexuality starts at level four. Sexuality education at an earlier level relates to knowledge areas such as protective behaviours, understanding your body and family systems.

Assessment

Assessment in sexuality education includes both formative (occurring throughout the learning) and summative assessment.

Formative assessment includes observation of student participation in homework sheet activities, participation in class activities such as anonymous Q&A exercises, engagement in creative writing, student research and diary projects, participation in drama workshopping and supervision of student self-assessment.

The provision of feedback to students is an important component of formative assessment.

A whole-school learning approach

It is important to ensure a cross-curriculum approach and integration with health-related activities, such as school nursing and student wellbeing initiatives, thus promoting a whole-school learning approach. The school's health and wellbeing staff can support you in this endeavour.

A whole-school learning approach also involves forming ongoing working partnerships with the local community and parents. Further information on the whole-school learning approach is provided at:

Teacher comfort

Feeling comfortable in teaching sexuality education is an important factor in a successful program. Forming partnerships with the local community and working with expert providers can help with this.

Many teachers report that ongoing peer support, developed through cluster meetings or through attending professional learning, can greatly assist with their level of comfort. Ongoing peer support can also be a good opportunity for resource and information sharing.

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Information for teachers relating to the curriculum, assessment and the whole-school learning approach to sexuality education.