Schools providing Sanitary protection

ska_lover · 14 September 2018 at 10:24PM

I am reading currently about 'Period Poverty' in the UK..the sixth richest country in the world, allegedly, although you wouldn't know it

Is it right that some Schools are now providing sanitary protection?

You can buy Tesco everyday essentials pads for 0.23p

Don't get me wrong, I am far from poverty bashing as I have been in some awful situations in the past.....all I am seeing is people bashing this as how can parents not afford 23 pence but we all know circumstances change

When i was a teen, my mother used to insist we ASKED for money for STs - they weren't just 'provided'. I used to find this so excruciatingly embarrassing that I never would ask her as it was admitting ''HEY I'M ON MY PERIOD''..and when i was 13/14 - EVERYTHING was embarrassing

I always swore if i had a daughter, that sanitary protection would be on my monthly shopping list and it would magically appear in her room and no discussion about it

[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

Red-Squirrel_2 · 14 September 2018 at 10:35PM

Of course its right, you don't let children suffer for their parents' failures!

And if girls are missing school because they haven't got protection that's bad for everybody, the country needs its young people educated.

calleyw · 14 September 2018 at 10:53PM

My local town council is asking for donation of either cash or toiletries as some young people at school in my local area, are lacking the basics such as toothpaste, toothbrush and shower gel as well as sanitary items for the girls.

I know aldi shower gels for men are about 49p for the lynx a like one. They also have a what they call the family shower gel for 33p.

I am aware that some areas don't have a lidl or Aldi.

Shocking really

Yours

Calley x

Jojo_the_Tightfisted · 14 September 2018 at 11:20PM

ska_lover wrote: »

I am reading currently about 'Period Poverty' in the UK..the sixth richest country in the world, allegedly, although you wouldn't know it

Is it right that some Schools are now providing sanitary protection?

You can buy Tesco everyday essentials pads for 0.23p

Don't get me wrong, I am far from poverty bashing as I have been in some awful situations in the past.....all I am seeing is people bashing this as how can parents not afford 23 pence but we all know circumstances change

When i was a teen, my mother used to insist we ASKED for money for STs - they weren't just 'provided'. I used to find this so excruciatingly embarrassing that I never would ask her as it was admitting ''HEY I'M ON MY PERIOD''..and when i was 13/14 - EVERYTHING was embarrassing

I always swore if i had a daughter, that sanitary protection would be on my monthly shopping list and it would magically appear in her room and no discussion about it

Yes, there are some cheap ones - but if I wanted to buy them, it would cost me £6 in bus fares to get to the nearest Tesco large enough to sell the cheapie ranges (assuming they actually had them in stock).

In addition, in London, children don't have cash for bus fares (and most places would see them using bus passes), most school operate cashless systems for meals and, if they don't have a Saturday job (unlikely in these times of zero hour contracts for adults and illegal for anybody until up to 4 years after a first period, a child is less likely to have cash of their own to spend on them - particularly if money is tight at home.

It makes perfect sense to just provide the things for free, as it means they aren't seen as the ones the 'poor' girls have to use, nobody has to be embarrassed about coming on and using bundles of toilet roll and, to be honest, with Universal Credit screw ups and the aforementioned ZHCs, I don't give two hoots whether a kid takes enough to supply themselves, their sisters and their mum or not - which is one of the 'reasons' why it's supposed to be a bad idea in some people's minds.

I've had times where I've been so broke that it's been the final straw to come on. And on one notable occasion, I had to dip into work's petty cash to buy some, as my salary had been delayed by my boss going on holiday for 3 weeks - he hadn't thought to mention to me in advance that this meant he wouldn't pay me until he came back.

Once I found out about menstrual cups, the reason I bought one was for nothing other than 'this means I don't have to buy anything else again'.

It's a good idea for all girls to have immediate access to free sanitary protection - for hygiene, as it means they can be changed frequently - for convenience, as girls' periods tend to be irregular and unpredictable - and because no girl should be trying to bodge together a pad out of multiple sheets of toilet roll in the school loos and hoping that it doesn't fall out.

Loanranger · 14 September 2018 at 11:23PM

I wonder what child benefit is for if not for this?

Ames · 14 September 2018 at 11:50PM

Loanranger wrote: »

I wonder what child benefit is for if not for this?

Back in the real world though, what's better - spend a relatively small amount of money on providing sanpro for the daughters of useless parents, or see them missing school?

Although I do worry that all these schemes to make up for poor parenting (free school meals, talk of providing meals in school holidays, providing sanpro) will enable children to hide the fact that their home lives are chaotic, and mean families don't get the help and support that they need.

It's great to provide practical help, but there needs to be emotional support too.

ska_lover · 15 September 2018 at 12:35AM

Ames wrote: »

Although I do worry that all these schemes to make up for poor parenting (free school meals, talk of providing meals in school holidays, providing sanpro) .

Or is it enabling bad parenting? ''One less thing for us to worry about as the School will sort it''

This is what i am reading as in ''over helping'' where people just stop trying to help themselves and become reliant on help

ska_lover · 15 September 2018 at 12:39AM

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Yes, there are some cheap ones - but if I wanted to buy them, it would cost me £6 in bus fares to get to the nearest Tesco large enough to sell the cheapie ranges (assuming they actually had them in stock).

Hmmm interesting point..What area do you live in? Tescos do evening deliveries for £1 in my area.

I love home shopping deliveries, so much cheaper than driving there, picking, packing and the two hour of my life and for a quid, can't really beat it

Might be cheaper to look into home shopping. It is an idea if no one has thought of it. I mean no one would spend £6 bus fare to buy something for 29pence and then only purchase only enough to carry home on a bus..... and if they would, then sorry but some people are actually beyond helping as common sense has lost it's way big time

Common sense is free. Surely if a person had £6 to spend, and only wanted STs they would buy local for £2 and save £4...Or get them thrown in at 29pence wit a weeks shopping and spend One Pound to get the whole lot delivered

one fab thing about having it delivered is you can chose substitutes and if they have't got the cheapo brand in stock, you will get subbed with better

badmemory · 15 September 2018 at 4:31AM

Well there is a far less acceptable way for teens to get free sanitary protection (& I don't mean to get pregnant although that would be an answer). Go on the pill (I think it is still a free prescription) & don't stop taking it, it's highly unlikely a doctor would even notice the early re-order. It doesn't always work unfortunately. It did for my sister but not for me.

We should not punish young girls for the failures of their parents. I know what period poverty feels like. Ever gone to school with old towelling nappies pinned to your knickers? I have & it is not nice. At least it was an all girls school & they were used to helping me safetypin the back of my skirt so the blood stains wouldn't show on my way home. That is the reality of period poverty!

It was also not nice that although I was skinny at 13 I was wearing my mothers cast off bras despite my bust already being bigger than her's. I had to go on strike to get those too. There's nothing quite like a classmate coming up to you after a gym lesson & saying I didn't realise your bust was that big, why aren't you wearing a bra?

I was very lucky in that I was never ever bullied for any of this but it was a very long time ago. It would have been so much worse in a mixed school.

I couldn't have bought my own sanitary protection because I didn't have any money to & I was then & still am honest so wasn't going to steal it.

So if they are suffering period poverty it isn't the only thing which is a problem

thorsoak · 15 September 2018 at 6:17AM

ska_lover wrote: »

I am reading currently about 'Period Poverty' in the UK..the sixth richest country in the world, allegedly, although you wouldn't know it

Is it right that some Schools are now providing sanitary protection?

You can buy Tesco everyday essentials pads for 0.23p

Don't get me wrong, I am far from poverty bashing as I have been in some awful situations in the past.....all I am seeing is people bashing this as how can parents not afford 23 pence but we all know circumstances change

When i was a teen, my mother used to insist we ASKED for money for STs - they weren't just 'provided'. I used to find this so excruciatingly embarrassing that I never would ask her as it was admitting ''HEY I'M ON MY PERIOD''..and when i was 13/14 - EVERYTHING was embarrassing

I always swore if i had a daughter, that sanitary protection would be on my monthly shopping list and it would magically appear in her room and no discussion about it

Sadly, there are still far too many families where girls still go through what you went through - and still not enough families where sanitary protection for women and girls is considered an essential.

But no girls should still be going through what you - and so many others - did. That's why I welcome the idea of schools providing protection as freely as they do loo roll.

Fireflyaway · 15 September 2018 at 8:21AM

In the town where I work a small charity has been set up with the sole purpose of making free sanitary protection available due to so Many girls missing school.
I understand there are times when people fall in hard times and we should support them, but as a community worker I've seen many people make poor choices or look to others to fulfill their responsibilities. Families who claim free school meals but the parents will be wearing designed trainers and sunglasses. School is a place of education not a feeding station. When I was a kid we all took sandwiches. Even the less well off kids managed to bring a pack lunch but now parents see lunch at school as an entitlement. Ive known of people to go food banks because they spent all their money on the sky bill or they smoke 40 a day. If there is free stuff people will always abuse it. Free protection will mean some parents will be of the mindsets of why should I buy it if I can get it for free. I think people need to be encouraged to be more self sufficient.
Having said this if a girl doesn't have protection I'd say that's neglect on the part of her parents. It's a basic need. So how can you offer free protection to girls in need without it becoming another freebie that people with the wrong priorities will just come to expect? It's tricky! I'd hate to see any girl to without protection but what about kids with poor dental hygiene? Babies with rashes because their nappies are not changed enough? Should we provide free toothbrushes and nappies as well? I believe we need a culture change. A stronger work ethic and less reliance on the state. Let's always help those who really need support but stop wasting money on providing things that people should be sorting out for themselves because it becomes an expectation.

Schools providing Sanitary protection

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