ISV welcomes expansion of Respectful Relationships program

Already 56 Victorian Independent schools formally participate in the Respectful Relationships program, although many more draw on the program’s curriculum resources that are freely available to all schools.

‘Offering the formal program, which provides a small amount of funding and training support, to more non-government schools, expands options in this essential area of the curriculum,’ ISV Chief Executive Michelle Green said.

‘Independent schools operate detailed and expertly-informed programs to meet their regulatory commitments – and moral obligations – to support students to build and manage respectful relationships,’ she said.

“Many of these programs predate and reinforce the mandatory Child Safe Standards which, among other things, require all schools to deliver appropriate education about standards of behaviour for students and healthy and respectful relationships.

‘It is clear from recent revelations involving students in a wide range of schools that there is no one simple solution to the problem of abusive behaviour among some students,’ Ms Green said.