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Free period products
Following a recent announcement from the Government, free period products are now available in all Jersey schools from September 2022.
The period product scheme is available on a universal basis for any student within a Jersey school or college who needs it, whether that’s because they have forgotten their products, cannot afford products, or have come on their period unexpectedly.
In a recent survey of period poverty conducted with young people in Jersey, half of the respondent’s reported difficulty in accessing period products. Over 10% of respondents reported having missed school or college due to difficulty accessing period products when they needed them.
We agree that having periods should not be a barrier to education for anyone. Making all students aware of the scheme is vital to ensuring they can access period products when they are needed and to reduce the stigma surrounding periods.
Research from the UK also shows that this can help reduce misuse of products too.
The pilot scheme started in the Autumn 2022 term with a limited range of disposable products available. We now aim to have all orders ready within 2 working days of them being submitted. Orders designated for collection by parents will be held at our School Office/Reception and orders designated for collection by students will be taken to the appropriate office of the Head of School (Lower/Upper/Sixth Form).
Our intention is to continue providing each student who needs/wants them with their own personal supply as and when needed, sufficient to meet their individual needs, characteristics, and preferences, subject to delivery of products from our supplier. We also have a variety of products available on site to cover emergency situations – making period products available to all students as and when they are required.
Orders can be placed at any time using this online order form. (To avoid any confusion, we ask that orders are only submitted by either the student or a parent/carer.)
If a student requires any products urgently, they will always be available from the School Office / Reception.
The type of period product used is a matter of personal choice. To respect this as much as possible, there is a limited, but reasonable range of good quality products on offer. Later phases of the project will look to include sustainable products in the range.
Your feedback on the choice available is welcomed via the order form.
Since September 2020, teaching both girls and boys about periods and menstrual wellbeing has been compulsory in all state-funded schools, primary and secondary, as part of health education. The UK still experiences many challenges regarding stigma and taboo relating to periods, which works to create a sense of shame around what is a natural bodily process.
We are keen to help create and maintain healthy and respectful communication about periods amongst all staff, parents and students. If you have any questions, please contact our Administration Team ([email protected]).