Respectful Relationships Education in Northern Territory Government schools

Information for parents

Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) benefits students in NT Government schools by:

  • teaching students to develop lifelong social and emotional skills that protect their wellbeing and that of others
  • establishing routines that help students feel safe and ready to learn
  • helping students understand respectful and equality in relationships by reflecting on values, rights and responsibilities
  • supporting the department’s strategic priorities of increasing school attendance and improving student wellbeing and safety.

Domestic, family, and sexual violence are forms of gender-based violence that affect all cultures, ages, and socio-economic groups in Australia. School-based RRE initiatives:

  • teach students social and emotional skills to build healthy, safe, and respectful relationships which helps prevent gender-based violence
  • reduce the risk of future violence and abuse by shaping positive attitudes and behaviours
  • aim to embed a culture of respect and equality through a whole school approach.

This is done by:

  • working in partnership with local communities and community-based organisations
  • every person involved in NT Government schools taking responsibility for providing environments that safeguard children from harm.

Families can support children and young people to feel safe. It is important for parents, carers, and families to share their knowledge about healthy relationships with their children through positive interactions. Children feel comfortable asking for help or expressing their feelings to non-judgmental and approachable adults. Informed children and young people are more likely to stay safe. More information about how to have these conversations with children is available through the Resources for Parents section of this page.

Facts about Respectful Relationships Education

RRE is an education program about respectful relationships

RRE is a proactive approach aimed at preventing family violence from occurring in the first place. It focuses on building positive relationships for all young people.

RRE encourages values such as mutual respect and gender equality and guides students in developing the skills needed to form positive, healthy relationships. It also equips them to handle life’s challenges by fostering resilience, confidence, and effective problem-solving abilities.

RRE is a targeted prevention program

RRE plays a key role in prevention; it is not a complete solution to family violence.

Like other public health efforts, such as reducing smoking or road deaths, preventing gender-based violence requires a whole-of-community approach. Schools are vital in shaping the attitudes and beliefs that help stop violence before it starts.

Research shows that school-based programs can lead to lasting improvements in behaviour and attitudes.

RRE and protective behaviours programs have already been implemented in other parts of Australia. The curriculum is evidence-based and designed for children and young people from birth to Year 12.

RRE is designed for different age groups and taught at all year levels

Respectful relationships and consent education for young children focuses on age-appropriate ways to understand and express permission, such as asking to borrow a pencil, saying no, and recognising that consent must be freely given, not pressured.

It also teaches protective behaviours to help prevent child sexual abuse. This includes lessons on body autonomy, personal boundaries, identifying safe vs. unsafe secrets, and knowing when to seek help from trusted adults if something feels wrong.

All curriculum materials are tailored to each year level from transition to Year 12, are age-appropriate and grounded in evidence.

RRE contributes to literacy and numeracy acquisition

RRE supports students to be ready to learn, as they develop skills to manage emotions like anger and frustration and learn non-violent ways to solve problems. RRE 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.

Primary students focus on building confidence, resilience, and essential social skills. In secondary school, students explore how gender roles and power dynamics can influence relationships and behaviours.

RRE teaches children to understand who they are

Children have developed their own sense of themselves and their identity by around the age of 4. The RRE goal is to create a space where children can freely explore, play, and express themselves in a safe environment.

The evidence shows it’s important for children to learn about respectful relationships from an early age and to understand that their future isn’t limited by gender. Girls can become firefighters or scientists, and boys can become nurses or teachers.

Respectful relationships education in schools

RRE is delivered through 2 evidence-informed and internationally recognised teaching and learning programs. The department supports the use of 2 teaching and learning programs for RRE: Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC) and Resilience, Rights, And Respectful Relationships (RRRR).

  • The KS:CPC is an evidence-based child safety and respectful relationships curriculum. It was developed for use by the South Australian Department for Education and is taught at many schools in the NT. The activities are structured in a sequential nature and at an age and developmentally appropriate level covering a range of topics. More information can be found on the KS:CPC website.
  • The RRRR learning materials are designed for primary and secondary school teachers to develop students’ social, emotional and positive relationship skills. It has been taught at schools in Victoria since 2016. More information about this RRRR program is on the Victorian Department of Education website.

Why respectful relationships education is important

The RRE program helps students to learn how to build safe, healthy, and respectful relationships. It teaches important social and emotional skills that support wellbeing. The department is committed to delivering RRE in NT Government schools by:

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