Dear Families,

At Alkimos Primary School, we are excited to be part of the Respectful Relationships Teaching Support Program, a vital initiative focused on promoting respectful relationships and gender equality from an early age. Our goal is to prevent family and domestic violence by fostering a culture of respect and healthy relationships within our school community.

Respect is the foundation of positive relationships, influencing both our wellbeing and mental health. While differences are natural, learning how to respectfully disagree and manage conflict is a crucial skill we can all develop.

Respectful relationships are about feeling safe, valued, and heard. They involve trust, honesty, and being able to express yourself freely without fear of criticism. These qualities are essential in all relationships – from family and friends to romantic and intimate relationships later in life.

What You Can Do to Help:

• Talk to your child about the qualities of respectful relationships, highlighting examples of respectful and disrespectful behaviour in the media.
• Praise your child for showing respectful behaviour, such as walking away to calm down during a disagreement.
• Help your child communicate their emotions clearly and assertively and teach them empathy by discussing how others might feel in different situations.
• Encourage them to express themselves calmly, model problem-solving, and support them in finding solutions during conflicts.
• Teach them how to negotiate, seek clarification, and develop decision-making skills to navigate challenges effectively.

We believe that when we all work together, we can help children build strong, respectful relationships that will serve them for a lifetime. Moreover, I would like to ask for your thoughts about this and what we can do together to help our children best learn Respectful Relationships. Please email me your thoughts at czarina.rowe@education.wa.edu.au

 Thank you for your ongoing support as we nurture these important values in our school community.

With many thanks,
Mrs Czarina Rowe