A national survey has revealed significant gaps in how respectful relationships education is delivered across Australian schools, with many teachers lacking the training and support needed to confidently teach the subject.
The Rapid Review Survey, conducted by Monash University researchers, collected 182 responses from government, independent and Catholic schools across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities. It provides the most up-to-date national snapshot of respectful relationships education in primary and secondary schools.
Findings show that responsibility for delivering respectful relationships education lies predominantly with school staff, with three quarters of programs delivered internally. Despite this, many teachers reported they had not received professional learning or development in the area, and only one in five schools said they implement a comprehensive whole-of-school approach.
The survey also found that around one third of schools adapt programs to suit their local context and communities, while evaluation was identified as the least commonly addressed aspect of delivery.
Lead researcher Dr Naomi Pfitzner said the findings highlight the need to better equip educators with training and resources.
“Preventing violence needs to start early and schools are uniquely placed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to build positive and equal relationships,” Dr Pfitzner said.
“Teachers are shouldering the bulk of responsibility for delivering this type of education, yet many are doing so without the training and resources they need. Realising the vision of the National Respectful Relationships Education Framework requires significant investment in professional learning so that every child receives high-quality, evidence-based respectful relationships education.”
The Monash-led survey was conducted in partnership with researchers from Deakin University and the University of Queensland, and informed the Australian Government’s first National Respectful Relationships Education Framework.
The framework is designed to support primary and secondary schools to plan and deliver consistent, age-appropriate and evidence-based respectful relationships education and is now included in the national curriculum.
Associate Professor Emily Berger from Monash’s Faculty of Education said the findings reinforce the importance of strengthening support for teachers.
“Teachers are deeply committed to fostering safe, respectful learning environments, but they cannot do this work alone,” she said.
“This national framework is a vital step in ensuring teachers have access to consistent guidance, evidence-based resources and the professional learning needed to deliver respectful relationships education with confidence.”
While welcoming the framework’s introduction, researchers emphasised the need for sustained funding to support ongoing evaluation of its implementation and effectiveness.
They also highlighted a key gap in the current policy approach: although respectful relationships education is now mandated, teacher training is not, potentially limiting the government’s ambition to end gender-based violence within a generation.
