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Understand this Curriculum connection

Respectful relationships

Introduction

Respectful relationships education is the holistic approach to school-based, primary prevention of gender-based violence, inclusive of school policy, programs, practices and partnerships (Our Watch, 2021). Respectful relationships education provides opportunities for children and young people to develop and reflect on knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that relate to respectful, equal and non-violent relationships. Respectful relationships education is one element of a comprehensive sexuality education program. Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to:   

  • realise their health, wellbeing and dignity
  • develop respectful social and sexual relationships
  • consider how their choices affect their own wellbeing and that of others
  • understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.
    (UNESCO, 2018)

Children and young people form beliefs from the world around them, and the values and traditions of their families, schools and communities. What they hear, see, talk about and experience from a young age shapes their view of the world. It is important that all children and young people experience and learn from positive influences where they live, learn, work and socialise. Schools support students to develop respectful relationships with family, friends and community members. This education can also support the primary prevention of domestic and family violence by educating young people about respectful relationships and helping them to develop protective behaviours and resilience.

 

All Australian states and territories have policies, guidelines, curriculum standards, and teaching and learning tools to create safe, positive, inclusive learning and work environments. Schools can help students to engage in ethical thinking about the influence of their choices on the wellbeing, learning and dignity of others, and to treat self and others with respect. Many schools provide social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, sexuality education, protective behaviours programs and/or child safety initiatives. These provide an excellent foundation for respectful relationships education. However, many of these programs and initiatives do not intentionally address gender norms and non-violent, respectful relationships.

 

The Respectful relationships Curriculum connection shows how content from across the Australian Curriculum learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities can be organised to develop whole-school respectful relationships education programs.

Implementing a whole-school approach to respectful relationships education

Respectful relationships education is most effective when used as part of a whole-school approach. This involves providing students with multiple exposure to key messages across the curriculum and in different areas of the school and community. Changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes and behaviours, and gender equality are expressed and reinforced in policy and practice, and when classroom learning is reinforced by what is modelled in school communities.

 

The school environment may be enriched through equitable school policies and processes, and partnerships with parents/carers, community organisations and specialist services. When implementing respectful relationships education programs around these issues, schools should work in partnership with parents/carers and the wider school community to ensure the learning is evidence based and appropriate for their local school context.

 

There are 2 interlinking resources to support planning for respectful relationships education:

Our Watch Respectful Relationships Education Toolkit

 

The Our Watch Respectful Relationships Education Toolkit is designed to help schools develop and sustain a whole-school approach to preventing gender-based violence by promoting gender equality and respectful relationships.

 

Curriculum connection: Respectful relationships

 

The Curriculum connection: Respectful relationships shows educators where respectful relationships education is embedded across the curriculum. Teachers may make additional connections that best suit their school context.

 

Our Watch reviewed national and international evidence and identified 7 core elements of effective respectful relationships education in schools. This was published in the Evidence paper: Respectful relationships education in schools. Element 4 focuses specifically on the role of curriculum in the delivery of respectful relationships education in schools.

Delivery of an age-appropriate curriculum that addresses the drivers of gender-based violence supports the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes to establish and maintain respectful relationships. In particular, the Australian Curriculum focuses on:

  • developing a shared vocabulary and understanding of concepts that enable critical inquiry and open conversations about respect, disrespect, misuse of power and violence in relationships
  • increasing understanding of the relationship between restrictive and harmful gender norms and stereotypes and gender inequality, which can lead to disrespect and violence in relationships
  • developing pro-social attitudes that empower children and young people to take action to resist, challenge, report and prevent disrespect and violence
  • developing practical skills and strategies to know how and when to report, resist, challenge or work to prevent bullying, harassment, racism, homophobia, sexism, ableism and gender-based violence
  • developing strategies and social support networks to take action to prevent all forms of bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence through collaboration, advocacy, positive peer support and proactive help-seeking strategies.
Structure

Australian Curriculum content can be viewed using multiple pathways:

  • year levels
  • learning areas
  • general capabilities
  • cross-curriculum priorities.

This Curriculum connection identifies 4 key aspects of learning, which are used to prioritise the content of respectful relationships education across the curriculum.

 

The 4 interrelated key aspects of learning about respectful relationships are:

  • recognising and practising respect
  • developing personal and social skills
  • recognising how gender norms and stereotypes can influence choices and actions
  • taking action to create equal and respectful communities.
Key aspects

These key aspects of learning have been developed in consultation with Our Watch. The key aspects of learning are specific to the Curriculum connection and supplement the Our Watch Respectful Relationships Education Toolkit.

 

The 4 interrelated key aspects of learning about respectful relationships are:

Young people need to be able to understand what is meant by respect and what it looks like in relationships. Respect is about treating self and others fairly, recognising and appreciating the differences between people, considering their preferences, and acknowledging the rights of others. Respect is also important in developing a student’s sense of self, as students’ relationships are central to the formation of their identity.

 

Through the Australian Curriculum, students develop an understanding of how individual, cultural and group identities are formed, and how they are influenced by things such as the conditions and experiences that have affected people’s lives, where people come from, what they believe in, who they relate to, how they belong, how they behave and what they do.  Students recognise and understand strengths and positive qualities in themselves, their community and others. They explore human rights and values, challenge limiting stereotypes and expectations, develop respect for diversity and consider how they view, position and treat others.

Children and young people need to develop the ability to build, manage and sustain respectful relationships with diverse others. This requires development of their ethical and emotional awareness and their interpersonal skills.

 

Through the Australian Curriculum, students develop knowledge about the nature of relationships, both face-to-face and online. Students develop the capacity to build and sustain respectful relationships by practising their communication, negotiation, assertiveness, friendship, peer support, help-seeking and conflict resolution skills.

The promotion of gender equality and the rejection of violence-supporting attitudes and behaviours is key to reducing the disproportionate numbers of girls, women and children affected by domestic, family and sexual violence. Children and young people need to develop a common understanding of the concepts of gender, relationships and respect. They need to examine the implications on relationships of assumptions made around gender norms, stereotypes and roles.

 

Through the Australian Curriculum, students learn about equity, power relations and gender norms. They apply this knowledge to consideration of relevant personal, social, political and ethical dilemmas. They consider the ways in which cultural and contextual factors can influence gender norms and stereotypes, which in turn can impact on decision-making, behaviours and actions. Students learn strategies that can assist them to critically reflect on their own choices, distinguish fact from opinion and consider alternatives. They rehearse strategies to carry out choices in ways that advance the wellbeing and rights of self and others. This assists them to show compassion, respect, and establish positive standards and boundaries within their relationships.

Relationships can be strengthened when students take respectful and safe action, both as individuals and in groups, to protect, enhance and advocate for the wellbeing and rights of themselves and others. “The wellbeing of children and young people is enhanced and their learning outcomes optimised when they feel connected to others and experience safe and trusting relationships.” (Education Services Australia 2018, Australian Student Wellbeing Framework).

 

Student confidence increases as they learn when and how to use strategies to manage themselves in a range of situations and take responsibility for respectful interactions with others. They develop their capabilities to positively address disrespectful behaviours associated with such things as racism, sexism, homophobia, discrimination and ableism. Students understand and use processes to make decisions and reflect on their own roles in taking ethical and respectful action. They transfer their learning into new contexts including with peers, family, their community and online. Within education settings, taking respectful action is considered central to fostering safe and effective learning environments, and to fostering engagement and trust between all members of the school community.

Teacher resources

Several organisations provide a range of evidence-based programs and tools to support the delivery of the Australian Curriculum and develop a comprehensive whole-school approach to respectful relationships.

 

These resources have been categorised below for your convenience.

Australian Children’s Television Foundation - Eddie’s Lil’ Homies resource

https://actf.com.au/education/eddies-lil-homies-resource

 

Australian Children’s Television Foundation - First Day Series 1 resource

https://actf.com.au/education/resources/id/10444/first-day-series-1-resource

 

Australian Children’s Television Foundation - First Day Series 2 resource

https://actf.com.au/education/first-day-s2-resource/about-this-resource

 

Australian Children’s Television Foundation - MaveriX resource

https://actf.com.au/education/resources/id/10495/maverix-resource

 

Australian Children’s Television Foundation - More Than This resource

https://actf.com.au/education/resources/teaching-resource/more-than-this-learning-resource

 

Australian Government – Bullying No Way

https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/

 

Australian Government - Consent can’t wait

https://www.consent.gov.au/

 

Be You resources 

 

e-Safety Commissioner resources 

 

Our Watch Respectful Relationships Education website 
https://education.ourwatch.org.au/

 

Our Watch Respectful Relationships Education Toolkit 
https://education.ourwatch.org.au/resource/respectful-relationships-education-toolkit/

Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE)

https://www.accce.gov.au/resources/for-parents-and-carers

 

eSafety parents

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

 

Kids Helpline 

 

Raising Children

https://raisingchildren.net.au/

 

Respect

https://www.respect.gov.au/

 

Stars Foundation – Empowering Indigenous young women

https://starsfoundation.org.au/

 

Thinkuknow

http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

Australian Capital Territory Education Directorate: Respectful Relationships Education

https://www.education.act.gov.au/schooling/resources-for-teachers/respectful-relationships-education

 

New South Wales Department of Education: Child protection and respectful relationships education

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/pdhpe/child-protection-and-respectful-relationships-education

 

Northern Territory Department of Education: NT Social and Emotional Learning

https://education.nt.gov.au/support-for-teachers/nt-social-and-emotional-learning

 

Education Queensland: Respectful relationships education program

https://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/stages-of-schooling/respectful-relationships

 

Department for Education South Australia:  Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum information for educators

https://www.education.sa.gov.au/schools-and-educators/curriculum-and-teaching/curriculum-programs/keeping-safe-child-protection-curriculum-information-educators

 

Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People: Respectful Relationships Education

https://respectfulrelationships.education.tas.gov.au/

 

Department of Education and Training Victoria: Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships

https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/ResourcePackage/LandingPage?ObjectId=0249f9d6-e536-4122-9298-dbd3d6b29808&Check=1

 

Department of Education and Training Victoria: Building Respectful Relationships

http://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=03bdca34-62ec-4f30-aca0-8262db67c2db

 

Western Australia Department of Education: Growing and developing healthy relationships

https://gdhr.wa.gov.au/learning/learning-activities

Considerations
Safe and supportive school environments

 

Teaching about respectful relationships and consent occurs best within safe and inclusive learning environments. Setting classroom agreements about active listening and using respectful language can help to create a safe and respectful learning environment.

 

Effective approaches require intentional planning and explicit teaching. It is important that classroom conversations are guided through the use of evidence-informed and age-appropriate learning strategies, and that questions can be asked, and ideas and issues can be considered without fear of judgement or silencing.

 

Reflecting on relationships can be personally challenging and may evoke feelings of distress in some teachers and students. It is important to respect students’ right to privacy and to use devised scenarios rather than personal stories when considering sensitive issues. Students should be advised of the help-seeking pathways available in their schools and communities. Schools will have policies and procedures in place to support students and educators when dealing with sensitive issues. Schools make use of their school referral processes and are aware of mandatory reporting requirements and legal procedures for dealing with disclosures of abusive situations.

Curriculum links

This section will demonstrate where across the 3 dimensions of the curriculum (learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities) you will find content links to respectful relationships.

 

An overview of respectful relationships education in the Australian Curriculum learning areas

 

Health and Physical Education

 

The Australian Curriculum addresses respectful relationships education primarily through Health and Physical Education. Content related to consent, gender equality, and attitudes and behaviours that denounce disrespect and violence has been strengthened in Version 9.0 of the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education F–10 as a direct response to the disproportionate numbers of girls, women and children affected by domestic, family and sexual violence.

 

Through Health and Physical Education, students have opportunities to build a strong personal and socially oriented ethical outlook that helps them to develop awareness of the influence that their values and behaviour have on others. They develop an understanding of their rights and responsibilities, and learn to evaluate the intended and unintended consequences of actions in a range of age-appropriate scenarios.

 

Digital Technologies, English, and Humanities and Social Sciences also provide opportunities to build upon and reinforce this learning. For other learning areas, the skills and behaviours for respectful relationships education are often addressed more holistically through everyday routines, habits, and integrated planning and programming.

The Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies provides opportunities for students to develop skills that support developing and maintaining respectful relationships. They develop the ability to respectfully collaborate and negotiate roles and responsibilities by creating an inclusive environment to communicate ideas and information.

 

Digital Technologies helps students to understand and practise using digital tools to be respectful, safe, social and ethical members of the community.

The Australian Curriculum: English provides opportunities for students to analyse, understand, communicate and build relationships with others and the world around them. They learn how language enables people to interact effectively, establish and maintain respectful relationships, and express and exchange knowledge, skills, attitudes, emotions and opinions. Students learn to adapt language to meet the demands of a range of health, safety and wellbeing contexts. They learn about the different ways in which knowledge and opinion are represented and developed in various forms of communication. The English learning area helps students become ethical, informed, perceptive, innovative and active members of society.

The Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences provides opportunities for students to develop a deep understanding of their world, past and present. They understand the factors that shape personal and shared identity, and the diversity of Australia. Students examine the connections people make with other individuals, groups, places, systems, beliefs, values and ideas, how these connections impact each other and how they may change over time. They explore their perspectives as well as those of others, demonstrating respect for diversity and the human rights of all people.

An overview of respectful relationships in the general capabilities
 

The Curriculum connection: Respectful relationships provides opportunities to address aspects of a range of general capabilities, with a particular emphasis on Personal and Social capability, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding and Digital Literacy.

 

In the Australian Curriculum, the general capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will help students to live and work successfully in a diverse and changing world. The following information provides an overview of how respectful relationships can be approached through the general capabilities.

The Personal and Social capability outlines specific behaviours and skills that will support the effective development of respectful relationships. As students develop these behaviours, they will relate to others with empathy and understanding, collaborate effectively in diverse groups and respectfully value the contributions of others across a range of relationships and interactions.

The Ethical Understanding capability outlines specific behaviours and skills that students need to build a strong ethical outlook. As students develop these behaviours, they will develop an awareness of the influence that their values and behaviour have on others and begin to explore ethical issues and interactions, respectfully discuss ideas and learn to be accountable members of the community.

The Intercultural Understanding capability outlines specific behaviours and skills that students need to understand what happens and what to do when cultures intersect. As students develop these behaviours, they will develop the capacity to reflect on culture and cultural diversity, engage with cultural and linguistic diversity, respond to bias and prejudice, and navigate intercultural contexts with empathy and respect.

The Digital Literacy capability outlines specific behaviours and skills that students need as they engage with others in an increasingly globalised and connected world. As students develop these behaviours, they will develop the capacity to identify the benefits and risks of digital participation in relation to health and wellbeing outcomes, and to manage themselves in safe and respectful ways in online environments.

An overview of respectful relationships in the cross-curriculum priorities
 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

 

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority provides opportunities for all students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by learning about the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. Students engage with Australian First Nations Peoples’ knowledges, experiences, values and perspectives. Using respectful and culturally responsive language is an essential component of reconciliation and strengthening relationships between Australian First Nations Peoples and the wider Australian community. Students investigate strategies that promote truth-telling and build cultural awareness to develop empathy and respectful relationships.

 

Respectful relationships for students at different band levels

Students learn through interactions with others, experimentation, practice and play. Children at this age can play and work with others to achieve a common goal. This provides opportunities to build social, emotional and thinking skills. Their development is supported by learning within a safe and inclusive classroom and school culture. Students use their natural curiosity to develop knowledge and skills about people and places. Students consider the contribution and needs of people who are important to them. They identify and describe emotions, learn to express their feelings in positive ways and develop capacity to initiate and maintain respectful relationships in different contexts, including at school, at home, in the classroom, in the playground and when participating in physical activities.

 

Supporting documentation

Mapped content descriptions for all key aspects

Students continue to develop their identities and interests and participate more broadly in everyday life. They learn more about themselves and explore and extend their abilities. They develop the ability to consider other people’s points of view, which helps them to make new friends, meet new people and connect with the wider community. They are supported to control their own behaviour and emotions, and become more confident when they interact with others. They advance their repertoire of strategies to use when they or others need help and are supported to develop personal and social skills such as cooperation, decision-making, problem-solving, peer support and persistence.

 

Supporting documentation

Mapped content descriptions for all key aspects

Students become more independent and communicate with others more effectively. They continue to explore personal and social factors that support and contribute to their identities and emotional responses in varying situations. They are encouraged to value and respect difference in others. They draw on their growing experience of the community and use observations and information sources to develop understanding of health-enhancing and safe decisions and behaviours, including online. They explore knowledge, understanding and skills that support them to build and maintain respectful relationships. They identify problems and develop greater self-reliance to solve them.

 

Supporting documentation

Mapped content descriptions for key aspects

Students are developing a strong sense of who they are and where they fit in the world. They have a growing interest in peer relationships, appearance, independence, human development and privacy. They are supported to develop a deeper capacity to care, share and take positive action for their own wellbeing and to consider that of others. They are supported to assess risks and consequences in health-related choices and to understand the ways in which family, peer and societal norms may influence these choices. Students develop skills to manage their emotions, sustain friendships, relate to and communicate with others, ask challenging questions and seek answers. They are supported to make informed decisions and act responsibly. They are encouraged to contribute to building a positive school environment for everyone, which supports healthy, safe and active choices based on respect.

 

Supporting documentation

Mapped content descriptions for all key aspects

Students are often presented with new organisational and personal challenges. Relationships with friends and peers become increasingly important as young people face more complex life decisions. The internet, mobile phones and social media can influence how young people communicate and collaborate with friends and seek knowledge about the world. Students can advance their capacity to take positive action in challenging interpersonal situations and to examine factors that influence people’s beliefs, attitudes, opportunities, decisions, behaviours and actions. Through personal reflection, they build capacity to empathise with others and to exert compassion in their relationships. They benefit from a range of help-seeking strategies that support them to access and evaluate information and services. They view relationship issues from a local to a global scale.

 

Supporting documentation

Mapped content descriptions for all key aspects

Students are preparing for civic, social and economic participation in the rapidly changing world outside of school, and provide support for peers and family members. They make choices about their learning and specialise in areas that interest them. They are challenged to engage in more critical and complex thinking and to use logic, ethical thinking and self-reflection as they examine events and issues in the world. They have the capacity to call on a range of different strategies to contribute to the health and wellbeing of themselves, their peers and their community. Students are increasingly required to assess and manage risk in relationships and everyday life. They understand the impact of behavioural expectations in different social and online situations. Through taking positive action, they sustain self-respect, and advance their use of social and organisational skills and positive thinking habits.

 

Supporting documentation

Mapped content descriptions for all key aspects

View Curriculum connections