How NSW childcare centres, schools will be used to prevent a crisis

NSW will tap into the “near-universal reach” of childcare centres and schools to implement age-appropriate respectful relationship education in a bid to prevent spiralling rates of domestic and family violence.

In its first primary prevention strategy to prevent sexual, domestic and family violence, the NSW Labor government will work with schools, community groups, sporting clubs and workplaces as it grapples with how to deal with the violence epidemic sweeping the country.

The strategy’s focus will be “prevention action in priority settings”, to “shift the dial on community attitudes and behaviours underlying these types of violence”.

The NSW government says children need to learn from an early age what health realtionships look like. Credit: Peter Braig

The government has committed $38.3 million for the implementation of the strategy.

As well as local community groups, early childhood learning centres, preschools and schools have been identified as providing the “greatest opportunities for successful primary prevention” because they have “near-universal reach to children and young people.”

“Work in this space will include the recruitment and training of specialist respectful relationship education roles, supporting schools to implement age-appropriate and evidence-informed respectful relationship education,” according to the government’s strategy.

NSW has set aside $8.8 million to expand the early childhood “All-In” pilot project, which will help childcare professionals and families actively challenge gender stereotypes that are known to drive gender-based violence.

Workplaces will play an important role in domestic violence prevention, along with sporting clubs.

“Sport reaches and influences people in many settings and at all ages, including employees, sponsors, supporters, volunteers, players and their families,” the strategy says.

“A dedicated team will be established within the Office of Sport to drive the co-ordination and implementation of primary prevention activity within the sporting context in NSW.”

There will also be Aboriginal-led prevention. Aboriginal women and girls are 31 times more likely than non-Aboriginal females to be hurt by domestic violence assaults so badly they that are hospitalised.

Finally, to ensure the strategy is effective, the government will establish a Primary Prevention Advisory Council, which will include representatives from regional, rural and remote areas, Aboriginal people and people from the LGBTQ community.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said, “there was a long road ahead” in terms of primary invention.

“But not doing this work is simply not an option, the stakes are far too high,” Minns said.

“We need to invest in this work now, to help prevent more lives being ended or ruined in years or even decades to come. This framework will be the foundation of our efforts to not just respond to violence once it has occurred, but to stop it before it starts.”

Education Minister Prue Car said children needed to grow up knowing what healthy, respectful and equal relationships look like.

“When young people are taught in their early formative years about resilience, respect and safety in relationships, it has an incredible impact on the people they grow up to become,” Car said.

“When you teach a child respect and resilience at an early age, and build their self-esteem, it becomes a part of the fabric of who they are.”

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732.

If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue.

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