Sexuality and Consent Education

Resources

Professional learning

• Training on the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships package is available. Contact respectful.relationships@education.vic.gov.au to register your interest.
• Respectful Relationships Area-based teams offer professional learning to schools to support their implementation of the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships and to build the capacity of school staff using the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials.
• The VCAA have developed a series of on-demand videos to support teachers and schools in the planning, implementation and assessment of Respectful Relationships in the Victorian Curriculum F–10.
• Sexual Health Victoria offers professional learning on sexuality and consent education for teachers at all levels. Sexual Health Victoria is also offering free professional development sessions for Victorian government school staff on Menstrual health and pelvic pain education, until June 2027. Staff can register their interest for professional development sessions and student education sessions for years 5 to 10.

Useful websites

• VCAA F-10 Curriculum – the Victorian Curriculum F–10 sets out what every student should learn during their first 11 years of schooling, including health education.
• Sexuality education – a department resource which contains information about sexuality education curriculum, teaching programs, professional learning and resources for schools.
• Consent Education Guidance – this guidance note explains consent and outlines how to use existing teaching resources to teach consent in an age appropriate way, including Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials.

Department of Education consent education resources

• Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships – this age-appropriate resource includes lesson plans and activities that help students learn and practice social skills and apply them in a positive way to learning, life and relationships.
• Building Respectful Relationships – this age-appropriate resource includes lesson plans and activities that help students learn and practice social skills and apply them in a positive way to learning, life and relationships.
• Catching on Early is an evidence-based and age-appropriate teaching and learning resource available to support the delivery of sexuality education to Foundation to Year 6 students.
• Catching on Later is an evidence-based and age-appropriate teaching and learning resource available to support the delivery of sexuality education to Year 7 to 10 students. Age-appropriate consent education classroom activities are included in the resource.

External consent education resources

• Sexual assault – The Better Health Channel – this resource explains what sexual assault is and outlines what to do if you have been sexually assaulted.
• Sex – are you ready – The Better Health Channel – this resource helps the reader figure out if or when they’re ready for a sexual relationship.
• Learning the law – Victoria Legal Aid – this free teaching and learning module on consent covers laws to do with consent and sexual assault, where to get help, and prevention.

Working with parents and or carers

• The Respectful Relationships Resource Kit outlines the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships, including engaging with parents, carers and the broader school community.
• Talking to children and young people about relationships, sex and sexuality – The Better Health Channel – this resource provides advice for how parents and carers can have conversations with their child about relationships, sex and sexuality.

External support services

The services listed below are available to help students who need support:

• 1800 Respect provides family violence and sexual assault counselling and is available via telephone or online chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Sexual assault support services centres against sexual assault provide 24-hour crisis support and can be accessed without first reporting to police.
• Kids Helpline provides counselling support service for young people aged 5 to 25 years old and for parents, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Headspace provides tailored and holistic mental health support from 9 am to 1 am, 7 days a week, to young people aged 12 to 25 years old. The website also provides resources and a local directory for headspace centres.