And now a word from
Mrs Richards...
Respectful Relationships Program at Parkdale Primary School
We are committed to supporting the wellbeing, safety and development of every student at Parkdale Primary School. One of the key ways we do this is through the Respectful Relationships program.
Respectful Relationships education is a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from foundation to Year 12. It is all about embedding a culture of respect and equality across the entire school community and provides a structured way to teach children the skills they need to build healthy, respectful and positive relationships.
The overriding purpose of the Respectful Relationships program is to keep children safe and to help them develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that promote respect, acceptance, and equality.
What is taught?
The Respectful Relationships program is structured around eight key topics:
Emotional Literacy – Helping children to recognise, understand and manage their emotions.
Personal Strengths – Identifying individual strengths and celebrating what makes each person unique.
Positive Coping – Learning practical ways to deal with challenges and bounce back from setbacks.
Problem Solving – Developing skills to resolve conflicts and make positive decisions.
Stress Management – Understanding what stress is and learning strategies to manage it in healthy ways.
Help Seeking – Knowing when and how to ask for help and recognising who safe and trusted adults are.
Gender Norms and Stereotypes – Exploring the ways society sometimes places unfair rules or expectations on boys and girls and encouraging children to challenge those ideas.
Positive Gender Relations – Promoting respect, fairness and equality in relationships and interactions.
A closer look at Topic 7: Gender Norms and Stereotypes
We understand that there can sometimes be misconceptions about what is covered in this topic. Topic 7 focuses on gender stereotyping – the idea that boys and girls should behave in certain ways or only take part in certain activities based on their gender.
For example, children are encouraged to question ideas such as:
“Only boys should play football”
“Girls should always be quiet and polite”
“Boys don’t cry”
By challenging these outdated stereotypes, children learn that they are free to pursue their interests and express themselves without limits, and that everyone deserves to be treated with respect. 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. Through our involvement in the Respectful Relationships initiative we are building a culture of respect and gender equality.
Why this program matters
At its heart, Respectful Relationships is about building a culture of safety and respect within our school and community. By teaching children to value themselves and others, the program helps to prevent bullying, discrimination, and violence, and supports the development of confident, resilient young people who can thrive.
The RRRR resource uses a research-informed approach to provide age-appropriate learning activities. These activities are designed to support students’ social and emotional learning so that they can develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills required for respectful relationships.
