Respectful Relationships

What is a respectful relationship?

Developing positive and respectful relationships is an important part of a student’s emotional and social development. The relationships in a student’s life, including those with friends, family and peers, can influence their physical health, promote self-esteem and assist them in developing a sense of belonging. Teaching students about positive and respectful relationships encourages them to reflect on their current relationships and supports them as they form new ones.

Creating a culture of respect in the school environment requires that students understand their rights and responsibilities. This will help them to identify and nurture healthy relationships and avoid unhealthy ones. They can also be taught that it’s okay to speak up and seek help when necessary, which will equip them to negotiate and strengthen their relationships throughout their lives. When students identify and understand the qualities of healthy relationships, such as trust, personal safety, respect, honesty, acceptance and loyalty, they can confidently establish and maintain positive and respectful relationships.

Communication skills are an essential part of managing relationship difficulties. By learning how to recognise and express their emotions and feelings, students are equipped to discuss and resolve issues that are impacting on their relationships with family, friends and partners. By directly discussing issues such as gender stereotypes, abusive behaviour, and discrimination, students can explore a range of qualities and characteristics that promote and develop empathy, resilience and inclusivity. These qualities form the foundation for the establishment of positive and respectful relationships in students’ lives.

ReachOut Schools’ respectful relationships resources have been designed to support the development of a whole-school approach to building respectful relationships. The resources include engaging lesson plans and Wellbeing Fives for teachers, and direct links to articles for parents. Using these respectful relationship resources in your classroom supports students to engage in conversations, address any concerns they have, and work through sensitive and complex issues in a familiar environment.

These resources were produced thanks to support from Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN.

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Classroom resources

Designed to be engaging and relevant to your students

Exploring identity and inclusivity

This diversity and inclusion lesson plan, promotes students to explore identities and their sense of self. Students learn skills and strategies to promote inclusion, equality and respectful relationships.

7-8

60 minutes

Help-seeking strategies

This lesson explores help-seeking strategies, by assisting students in learning to ask for help. Students unpack scenarios, learning about inclusivity, equality and respectful relationships.

7-12

60 minutes

Conversations and relationships

Students evaluate the impact of open and respectful communication on building and maintaining relationships.

9-10

60 minutes

Me, others and external factors

Using a responsibility pie chart, students examine different factors that contribute to outcomes in different situations.

7-10

60 minutes

Building respect in relationships

This lesson focuses on inclusion and students building respectful relationships. In this activity, students explore ways to celebrate diversity and identify the interpersonal skills that help in forming respectful relationships.

9-10

60 minutes

Understanding and celebrating disability

Students explore their prior knowledge of people with disability, including 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott. Students also reflect on the identities and experiences of people with disability, and on the importance of recognising and promoting their contributions in public life.

7-8

60 minutes

Enhancing interpersonal skills

This interpersonal skills lesson plan for students, focuses on inclusivity and building respect in the relationships in their lives. Students explore ways to celebrate diversity and identify the interpersonal skills that help in forming respectful relationships and what influences inclusivity in relationships.

9-10

60 minutes

How to be an ally

Students explore what being a genuine ally means and identify practical strategies for becoming one.

7-8

60 minutes

Understanding gender and sexuality

Students learn to identify the differences between gender, sex and sexuality, and to understand why this is important when it comes to being respectful, inclusive and appreciative of others.

7-8

60 minutes

Wellbeing Fives

Energise, refocus and develop wellbeing in your students in 5 minutes

Top 10 Rules

Help students build on their understanding of what's essential to respectful relationships.

7-10

5 minutes

Acrostic Words: Respectful Relationships

Students can articulate networks of support themes for respectful relationships.

7-10

5 minutes

Circle chat: Inclusivity

Students reflect on inclusion as a human right and build on appreciating the contributions of others.

7-10

5 minutes

Hashtags: Respectful relationships

Use online messaging to promote diversity and inclusivity.

7-10

5 minutes

Exploring cultural identity

Students build on their cultural awareness, empathy and respect for other cultures.

7-8

5 minutes

Resources for parents and carers

Share with parents and carers to support a whole school approach to student wellbeing

Teens and respectful relationships

Learn how to teach your teenager about respectful relationships and what they look like.

Teach your teenager to be a good friend

Hear from other parents about how they teach their teenagers to have positive friendships.

Talking to your teen about bad friendships

Learn how to support your teenager through negative peer relationships.

Help your teenager feel more confident

Help your child improve their self-esteem by supporting them to build on their strengths.

Resources for students

Engaging and reliable content for young people to support their wellbeing. 

Family relationships

While we can't choose our family, we do have options in how we manage our relationships with family members. Find out how to deal with family conflict and stay sane.

Friendships

Choosing good friends is a skill you usually acquire with time and experience. Learn how to work through a bad friendship, as well as how to hold onto a good one.

Romantic relationships

Relationships usually take work. It's a good idea to know what you want and expect in a relationship and how to communicate with (and listen to) your partner.

The mate break up

Falling out with a friend can be pretty gutting. Check out our top tips for making it through a mate breakup.