Legislative Council Thursday 1 July, 2021

Mrs HISCUTT (Montgomery - Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council) - Madam Deputy President, I have an answer to Question No. 1 on the Notice Paper for the member for Murchison:

(1) Which public schools throughout Tasmania have delivered RRE?

Answer

All Government schools are required to deliver the Australian curriculum from prep to grade 10 and embed Respectful Relationship Education into learning, using the RRE framework and resource package developed by the Department of Education. The mode of delivery will vary according to each school’s individual context.

(2). How often is this RRE provided in each school?

Answer

There is no single model for delivering RRE across the schools. Individual schools make decisions about the mode of delivery suitable to their local context.

(3) What is the scope of the RRE program in each school including:

(a). the number of hours it takes to be delivered;
(b). the period of time over which it is delivered; and
(c). whether there are refresher seminars as part of the program?

Answer

School teachers and teaching staff work with their school communities to embed RRE into their school program. A whole-school approach is recommended and the mode and timing of delivery will vary from school to school and across age levels.

A Framework and Resource Package designed to support school leaders and teachers has been developed for use by schools. It incorporates teaching and learning sequences, strategies, and processes to guide schools and communities in the explicit teaching of RRE. The resource package is online and publicly available through the Department of Education's website.

School leaders and teaching staff are also supported through online professional learning. It is available to all staff to access at any time and as often as required.

(4)
(a) Who has delivered the RRE in each school; and in each school; and
(b) in each case:
(i) do the trainers have a specialist knowledge in gender-based violence;
(ii) is there a cost associated with its delivery;
(iii) are there wrap around supports for students who may have experienced abuse; and
(iv) what are the referral pathways available to support young people?

Answer

School leaders and teachers deliver RRE in schools. Support to schools and teachers is provided by the Respectful Schools Support Team and the Student Wellbeing team.

The state-wide Respectful Schools Support Team works with schools to build whole school inclusive communities and school-wide positive behaviour support systems. The Student Wellbeing team provides support to students enrolled in Government education settings, for whom there are safety and wellbeing concerns.

School support professionals, including school psychologists and social workers, also provide support to students who may have experienced abuse. Referral pathways are managed through school leadership and Learning Services as appropriate.

Department of Education funds Working it Out Inc, Bravehearts and Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS) to provide training and resources around safety, protective behaviours, and gender based violence. There is no cost to schools for participation in these programs.

(5).
(a) Has a consistent curriculum been delivered in each primary school; and
(b) if not, why has different curriculum content been delivered?

Answer

Government primary schools are required to deliver the Australian Curriculum from prep to grade 6, and to embed RRE within its school program. The curriculum content is consistent and defined through the Australian Curriculum expectations and the RRE Framework and Resource package. The mode of delivery will vary according to each school's individual context.

(6)
(a) Has a consistent curriculum been delivered in each high school; and
(b) if not, why has different curriculum content been delivered?

Answer

Government high schools are required to deliver the Australian Curriculum from year 7 to year 10 and to embed RRE within its school program. The curriculum content is consistent and defined through Australian Curriculum expectations and the RRE Framework and Resource package. The mode of delivery will vary according to each school’s individual context.

(7)
(a) Have any schools run the Respectful Relationship course provided by the Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS); and
(b) if so,
(i) which schools; and
(ii) is there a cost associated with this program?

Answer

Department of Education has funded Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS) to deliver its primary intervention program in Government secondary schools and colleges since 2016.

In 2020-21 the program is being delivered at:

• Bayview Secondary College, years 7 to 10,
• Campania District School, years 7 to 10,
• Tasman District School, years 7 to 10,
• Jordan River Learning Federation, years 7 to 12.

From 2016-17 to 2019-20 the program was delivered at:

• Bayview Secondary College, years 7 to 10,
• Rose Bay High School, years 7 to 10,
• Huonville High School, years 7 to 12,
• Hobart College, years 11 to 12,
• Mountain Heights School, years 7 to 10,
• Triabunna District High School, years 7 to 10,
• Montrose Bay High School, years 7 to 10,
• New Norfolk High School, years 7 to 10,
• Smithton High School, years 7 to 12,
• Dover District School, years 7 to 10,
• Sorell School, years 6 to 10,
• Clarence High School, years 7 to 12,
• Campbell Town District High School, years 7 to 10.

There is no cost to schools to participate in the program.

(8) How is the outcome of the RRE courses/programs being measured?

Answer

The Department of Education monitors implementation of Respectful Relationships Education across all Government schools using a range of measures, including staff attendance at professional learning, data from the annual Student Wellbeing Survey, and measuring access to the RRE website and online professional learning modules.

(9) If evaluation and measurement of outcomes has not been undertaken when will this be commenced?

Answer

DoE will continue to evaluate and measure outcomes using the methods outlined in the answer to question (8).

(10)
(a) Has there been any shift in problematic attitudinal beliefs and/or behaviours of students; and
(b) if so, how has this been demonstrated and measured?

Answer

Student Wellbeing Survey data from 2019 to 2020 was stable across the School Climate, Bullying and Safe at Home domains. The data showed that:

• 86 per cent of students feel safe at school most of the time;
• 76 per cent of students felt that teachers and students care about each other and treat each other with respect.

Data for suspension in Government schools indicates that there has been a noteworthy decrease in suspension for bullying and physical harassment of another student from 2017 to 2020.

(11) How many of these RRE courses are currently being run in Tasmania's public schools?

Answer

All Government schools are required to deliver the Australian Curriculum and to embed RRE within scope of its school program. Given this, DoE does not maintain a specific count on the number of schools delivering RRE.