Respectful Relationships lead and partner schools

​​Respectful Relationships is being rolled out across the state through a lead and partner school model. Over 1950 Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools are signed on to a whole of school approach to Respectful Relationships to create a culture of equality and respect and change the story of family violence for future generations.

A dedicated workforce is in place to support schools and their communities to implement a whole school approach to Respectful Relationships and strengthen referrals and responses to family violence.  

Lead schools

The role of lead schools is to lead the way on implementing the whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships, this includes modelling good practice, leading and mentoring partner schools.

Under the initiative, lead schools will receive:

  • funding for two years
  • support to implement a whole school approach within their own school
  • support for mentoring partner schools.

Lead schools will support a cluster of partner schools by providing best-practice advice on implementation strategies and modelling respect and equality.

Partner schools

Partner schools are mentored and supported by lead schools to implement a whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships. Clusters of partner schools will work with one lead school.​

Under the initiative, partner schools will receive:

  • funding in the initial year
  • support to implement a whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships.

Funding process and rates

Funding for this initiative has moved to Student Resource Package – Targeted Initiatives (Reference 86).

The Respectful Relationships workforce

A dedicated Respectful Relationships workforce is in place to support lead and partner schools with implementation, including:

  • Respectful Relationships project leads in each of the state’s 17 local areas to support lead schools to fulfil their roles and helping to build the capacity of all participating schools to implement the initiative
  • Respectful Relationships liaison officers in each of the state’s 17 local areas to support schools to respond to family violence, providing advice about evidence based approaches and interventions, liaising with specialist services and embedding effective response and referral processes
  • A Respectful Relationships unit in the Department’s central office manage the state-wide supports and tools available to for Victorian schools to successfully implement Respectful Relationships.

Professional learning opportunities for school staff

A range of professional learning opportunities, delivered at the local area level and tailored for school staff and school leaders supports them to: implement a whole school approach, respond to disclosures of family violence and deliver Respectful Relationships as part of the curriculum.

Teaching materials

A resource kit for schools provides schools with the strategies and tools to implement a whole school approach to Respectful Relationships. For more information, see: Teach Respectful Relationships

For enquires please email: respectful.relationships@education.vic.gov.au