The department is committed to strengthening safe and inclusive environments, where all children and young people and their school communities can learn and thrive. Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) is integral to this effort.

RRE is a whole-school approach which includes classroom learning and extends to the school's culture, policies, and procedures, while fostering inclusivity within the school community. RRE addresses the drivers of gender-based violence, and the rise in misogynistic and sexist ideas, attitudes and behaviours.

RRE addresses all relationships within a school community, including between classmates, friends, students and teachers, and school staff.

Enhancing practice through Commonwealth support

The Commonwealth's Consent and Respectful Relationships Education measure (2024-2028) supports schools in delivering high-quality, evidence-based education to prevent gender-based violence and promote healthy relationships. This aligns with the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 and recommendations from key national inquiries.

We started this work by consulting with students, staff, parents and carers to understand their needs and perspectives. We will continue to do this as we develop, test, and refine professional learning and resources to enhance teacher and leader confidence, to address RRE through a whole-school approach, without introducing a new curriculum.

Curriculum connections

The respectful relationships curriculum connection of the Australian Curriculum highlights RRE throughout all learning areas, and the general capabilities. Through this work, students will learn to:

• recognise respect and practise respect
• develop personal and social skills
• recognise how gender norms and stereotypes can influence choices and actions
• take action to create equal and respectful communities.

Respectful relationships are a critical aspect of relational pedagogy and are embedded through the Early Years Learning Framework. Preschools and schools are supported in reflecting on their practice through the Reflect Respect Relate resource for critical reflection in the early years.

RRE is complimented through senior school within the curriculum for year 10 to 12 students, this is particularly emphasised through the whole-school approach. For example, staff may embed site-based initiatives, workshops, seminars, student-led projects, or utilise homegroup or pastoral care for developmentally and age-appropriate links to RRE.

Student impact

Students have a strong voice and play a vital role in shaping the development and implementation of Respectful Relationships Education.

During 2024 and 2025, students across primary and secondary department schools were engaged through focus groups and student forums, to share their insights and raise key priorities, issues and opportunities for action. Consultation was designed to provide space for students to share what is most important to them when learning about respectful relationships, including what they want to learn and how.

The findings from consultation will influence the guidance schools receive about a whole-school approach to RRE, ensuring implementation responds to the needs and interests of children and young people.

Find out what is most important to students when learning about respectful relationships in the RRE student consultation report (PDF 2 MB) .

Resource development

The department will develop resources for students, staff and parents as part of a whole-school approach, from 2024 to 2028.

We are currently engaging with students, staff and school communities to inform resource development.