What makes a healthy relationship?

Healthy relationships do not just happen by accident.

They are built through choices, behaviours and attitudes that help each person in the relationship feel safe, valued and heard.

Every relationship looks different, but there are core foundations that are consistently shown in healthy, respectful connections, including respect, kindness, honesty, boundaries and communication.

It’s all about respect

At the heart of any healthy relationship is respect.

This is about how people treat each other in everyday moments, not just when things are going well. Disagreements and arguments are normal, but respect means valuing the other person’s feelings and opinions even when you don’t agree with them.

It means listening without dismissing, speaking without belittling, and recognising that another person’s experience matters.

Respect is the opposite of control – trying to tell someone what to wear, who to see, or how to think is not a sign of care or love.

Respect is closely linked to all the other aspects of a healthy relationship. It shows up through kind language, giving each other space, and supporting one another’s interests, friendships, studies or careers.

Boundaries are essential

Healthy relationships have clear boundaries, and those boundaries are respected.

Boundaries help people understand what feels comfortable and what does not. They can be emotional, physical, or practical.

For example:

• Emotional boundaries might include what kind of support someone wants or which topics feel off-limits.

• Physical boundaries relate to touch and personal space.

• Time boundaries involve balancing time alone with time spent together, as well as maintaining friendships and hobbies.

• Communication boundaries might include how often people expect to text or call.

Setting boundaries takes thought and conversation. Once boundaries are agreed, healthy relationships stick to them. If a boundary is crossed, it should be addressed openly and directly, rather than ignored or minimised.

Let’s communicate

Communication ties all of this together.

In healthy relationships, people are able to speak openly, clearly and kindly about how they feel.

Using “I” statements can help keep conversations focused on personal feelings rather than blame. Instead of saying “you always talk over me”, someone might say, “I feel unable to think properly when I’m interrupted. I need space to finish my thoughts.”

Good communication is also specific. Saying “I need some space” can be confusing, while saying “I need one evening a week to myself” is much clearer.

Active listening matters too. This involves reflecting back what someone has said and checking understanding, such as asking, “So you feel anxious when I don’t call for a couple of days?”

What are children being taught about this subject?

Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) plays a key role in helping children and young people understand healthy relationships.

In England, statutory guidance was updated in 2025 and will become law in 2026.

The updated guidance sets out that pupils should learn what respectful relationships look like, including online, how to recognise when something feels wrong, the law around harmful behaviours, and how to seek help.

This strengthens the focus on respect, boundaries, consent and communication, helping young people build the skills they need for healthy relationships now and in the future.

How can I train my staff on what makes a healthy relationship?

Unfortunately, it’s not just children that need to know and understand what makes a healthy relationship – and what makes an unhealthy one.

Training your staff in this area is really important, so at flick we’re just in the final stages of building a brand new course, Healthy Relationships, which will be released next month.

The e-learning Healthy Relationships course will provide learners with an understanding of:

• The government’s RSHE guidance

• What makes a healthy relationship

• The signs of unhealthy relationships

• The importance of consent

• What the law says about criminal offences related to sex

• How different people react to trauma

• How to access support

• How to respond to disclosures from both children and adults.

Healthy Relationships will be the 159^th course in the flick library, which you and your staff get unlimited access to (think Netflix!) by taking out a subscription with us.

If your organisation already has a Learning Management System (LMS), you can license any flick course to sit on your own platform instead.

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