Within the Making Enabling Spaces Framework, Respectful Relationships are situated as the guiding value for young people's wellbeing.

The Framework posits that providing a focus on, and opportunities for, quality relationships has a significant positive impact on lives. This is particularly true for young people who are having difficulty with or otherwise missing out on this aspect within their existing learning environments.

While the perceptible benefits are most dramatic for disenfranchised students, all young people thrive when their capacity to form and sustain respectful relationships is improved. This principle applies to relationships between young people and their peers, and with teaching staff, employers and the wider community.

The positive impact of such relationships has already been recognised by a growing body of research, for example: Moore and Hamilton (2010); and Lawner, Beltz and Moore (2013). The Making Enabling Spaces Framework builds on this evidence base.