Respectful relationships

The federal government has announced the members of the National Respectful Relationships Education Expert Working Group that will support the delivery of respectful relationships education in schools.

The expert working group will be chaired by the chief executive officer of OurWatch, Patty Kinnersly, during its first year and meet for the first time next month. The group will guide national collaboration between states, territories, the non-government schooling sectors and experts to support the delivery of ageappropriate, evidenced-based and expert-developed respectful relationships school education. This is in line with Recommendation 10 of the Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report.

Advice from the group will support the implementation of the government’s $83.5 million Consent and Respectful Relationships Education program.

The working group will guide a rapid review into existing delivery approaches of RRE in schools to identify best-practice and opportunities for improvement.

National Respectful Relationships Education Expert Working Group members include: Patty Kinnersly (Chair), CEO of OurWatch; Professor Peter Buckskin, Aboriginal Engagement and Strategic Projects, University of South Australia; Chanel Contos, Teach Us Consent; Heather Clarke, National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence; Associate Professor Michael Alan Salter, School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales; Dr Fiona Martin, Educational and Developmental Psychologist; Dr BJ Newton, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW; and Katrina Marson, Relationships & Sexuality Education Alliance ACT.

The working group will also include a representative from the federal government, a member from each state and territory government, and representatives from the National Catholic Education Commission and Independent Schools Australia.

Minister for Education Jason Clare said teaching respectful relationships education in schools assisted students build the skills, values and attitudes required to develop and maintain positive, healthy, and respectful relationships.

“This expert working group will work to ensure that age-appropriate, evidencedbased respectful relationships school education is delivered. Evidence shows that improving attitudes and understanding is a key way to prevent sexual harm and violence. If we want to see a societal shift in attitudes, we need to start with young people."