Young people's experiences of periods and period pain
Support structures in schools for managing periods and period pain
The young people we talked to described various ways that their schools did, or did not, support them in coping with the impact of periods at school. They had a range of experiences around types of school, including: mixed sex schools, single sex schools, state schools, private schools, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, sixth forms, and universities. This section covers:
- Support at primary school and in the beginning of secondary school
- Access to toilets
- Access to period products and pain relief
- Support and understanding from school staff
Jian went to an all-girls school where periods were talked about openly and supportively. She didn’t need to buy pads at any time during three years of secondary school (read by an actor).
Jian went to an all-girls school where periods were talked about openly and supportively. She didn’t need to buy pads at any time during three years of secondary school (read by an actor).
Yeah. Well, I went to an all-girls school, so I think that’s what made the front on like different types of periods a bit more like trying to like get rid of stereotypes, and stuff like that. But it was talking about like the age that... that it comes in, or like the types of flows, or the different uses of period products that other people would use. It would just be talk... like making it a regular conversation so it wasn’t, you know, something that people would be particularly too scared to talk about, yeah.
And did it work?
Yeah, absolutely. We... It was never... it was never a scary thing to talk about at my school, it just felt a lot more like supportive more than anything, and it like kind of led on this kind of... there would be period pads everywhere for everyone to access, it was wonderful. I don’t think I’ve had to buy a period pad for like three years in secondary school.
Support at primary school and in the beginning of secondary school
A number of young people felt there had been a change in how periods and period pain were managed as they progressed through school – for example, from primary to secondary school. Willow doesn’t think schools “really plan for children in primary school with periods because I don’t think they expect children in primary school to have it”. Eve agreed: “it’s a primary school, so not many people are gonna get periods, so they’re not as organised as they would have been in like a secondary school”.
It was difficult for some who had started their periods relatively early, including at primary school, as there wasn’t always support already arranged and available. Other children in their classes may not know yet about periods, and it could also be a bit daunting to talk about with teachers and peers. There weren’t always toilet cubicles that could be locked from inside, access to period products, or period product bins in toilet cubicles. Reham remembered when teachers themselves would keep period product supplies hidden in a drawer in their desk, and young people could ask for them.
In primary school, Sage had to ask for any period products and cross to another building to the school office.
In primary school, Sage had to ask for any period products and cross to another building to the school office.
Well, my primary school didn’t have like any like pads or like tampons in the bathroom, and technically like if you had an emergency, you had to go like all the way to the secretary, which is like on the other side of the school, to ask them for a pad, and half the time they didn’t have one.
Ah.
So, most the time I just brought like a massive bag to school, and half the time I was giving them out to my friends too, ’cause like we just didn’t have them all the time.
OK. So, did any of the teachers have a supply, or it was just in the office?
Just in the office, and even then, it was sometimes.
OK. And did that change when you got to secondary school?
Yeah, my secondary school was... they were really good about it. They had like... like little baskets with just tons of pads and like tampons, and stuff, and like you could also go to the secretary and just like ask for more if they ran out, but they had it in every bathroom. And also like in sixth form, they had those baskets, and they had period underwear in there that you could take for free, and that’s where I found out about it.
Jayden felt that although starting periods at primary school was scary, the people there were kind and understanding which was appreciated.
Most people found that as they got older and more used to managing periods, there were also better systems to support them at school. As young people progressed into secondary school, more of their friends also had periods, which was a major source of support for many.
Access to toilets
The rules at secondary school about access to toilets, and when young people were allowed to use them, could feel quite strict. This could make managing bleeding difficult for some. At River’s secondary school, there were not enough toilets for everyone to use during the breaks, which made the rules complicated to follow.
Finding ways to ask to go to the toilet during lessons in a discreet way that didn’t draw attention was important to some people we talked to. For Eve, one of the teaching assistants in her classroom was helpful as someone she could turn to when she needed to go to the toilet. Some schools give students toilet passes for medical reasons, but Chloe found that some teachers still would not let students go during lessons.
Reham felt happier about starting her periods when she found out that a close friend also had, and ‘less alone’. She and her friend developed a system for asking to go to the toilet together, and their teacher was kind and supportive.
Reham felt happier about starting her periods when she found out that a close friend also had, and ‘less alone’. She and her friend developed a system for asking to go to the toilet together, and their teacher was kind and supportive.
And were you able to tell your teacher that you’d just started, or what did you do then?
After a few days, ’cause it was like my fourth day, or something, and then one of my friends also got her, and she was like: “Oh, my gosh, I’m so excited, maybe if we could like... maybe we can get to miss a bit of class, we can ask the teacher to... Miss, go to the toilet?” and I was like: “We can do that?” And so, we ended up, halfway through the lesson, and just told our teacher: “Miss, if we do this, that means we really need to go to the toilet.” And we did that so many times throughout the lesson, but luckily, I didn’t miss out on much.
OK. And that’s quite interesting. So, you came up on your very own with a way of kind of telling the teacher that you needed to leave?
Yeah.
How... how did they respond to that?
Well, they just... I had a female teacher, so it was more like she understood it more, so she was like: “Oh, OK, I understand, if you need anything I’m pretty sure there’s some things in the toilet and you can just leave if you really, really need to,” and it was really nice of her; it was very sweet.
’cause actually, primary school: were the toilets in your primary school kinda setup for having periods, or was that a bit...?
They weren’t, but my teacher did have like a pads and tampon box in her drawer, so she was like: “Oh, if you need anything, I’ll have something,” so I think—
And that’s.
—that’s really sweet.
And you said that it was really nice that your friend started at the same time: did that... did that help?
Yeah, it helped ’cause it... ’cause after I found out that my friend got it, I found out a few other people had gotten it, so it felt like I wasn’t alone, and it had like a group to it.
The toilet spaces available at school could be off-putting for some too. Eve, Ivy, and River remember only being able to use some of the school toilets, because they did not all lock or have period product bins in them. Bella explained how from her perspective, “now I’m in sixth form they have nice toilets there, so they’re fine, but in younger years, I... I just... it was horrific”. Some people we talked to had also had difficult experiences with toilets that didn’t flush properly.
River started his period during the COVID pandemic. He was allocated a set unisex toilet for his class. When he had a period and the toilet didn’t flush properly, a class mate reacted strongly which he found embarrassing and difficult (read by an actor).
River started his period during the COVID pandemic. He was allocated a set unisex toilet for his class. When he had a period and the toilet didn’t flush properly, a class mate reacted strongly which he found embarrassing and difficult (read by an actor).
River: Yeah, it was more when I went back. And like since it was Covid and when people were going back so like we had to share toilets with the boys, and so maybe I had a period and then like a boy would find that since... once a, the toilets couldn’t flush, and so... yeah.—
Mum: And so that... so what you’re describing is an experience: you went to the toilet, you weren’t particularly happy about sharing the toilets at that point—
River: Yeah.
Mum:—’cause it’s, you know, a thing, and some of the... you know, obviously a lot of boys don’t even realise... haven’t been told about periods.
River: Like you can... you could hear his screams down the hallway.
Mum: So, he... so the boy, I don’t think was... I think he... he was thinking: ‘oh, somebody’s really ill,’—
River: Yeah.
Mum:—and immediately kicked up a fuss; whereas probably if he’d had some education about periods himself, he might’ve handled it differently that’s it—
River: That... that... what’s it, the... the first time I... like in my... in my class, wh... when we had period education, was at the very end of primary school, like the very end of Year 6, so that wasn’t very helpful because I had my periods like a year and a half before that.
Mum: So... so coming in, we were having to educate other... other people in his class, and then the... then the school found that they were going to have to start doing the bit about periods, and whatnot, and... but it was kind of already... the stable door was already open on that front, and... But it... yes, it was interesting; a lot of the children hadn’t been—
River: No.
Mum:—given any information.
That... so yeah, that’s really int... I mean, I think that’s a really interesting kind of challenge. So, for you, your period started before you got the education at school?
River: Yeah.
Mum: Yes.
OK.
River: But that my... my mum told me about this stuff when I was like maybe seven years old, before anything happened, so I was already prepared.
Mum: I’ve worked with a charity to do with safeguarding and one of the things they’d always plug was, you know, the... that teaching people their body parts, blah-blah-blah, and I always thought the period thing, if you know about it, whichever gender you are as well, you know, your siblings, your classmates, they can be supportive in that situation ’cause it is a... a bit of a... a worrisome time, isn’t it, when somebody first starts, isn’t it, and you want... you’d hope people can help them, if they’re informed, they could be a bit more empathetic.
As well as nicer toilet facilities, moving into sixth form or college and then university could have other benefits for managing periods. This included more independence and ease of access to toilets, medication, and period products. For many, these improved support around managing periods was also alongside being more confident to ask for help or talk about periods.
Rahma has just started at university and valued the open-ness of an induction talk about periods in front of the whole year, and the access to free period products but would like them in all toilets and not restricted by gender (read by an actor).
Rahma has just started at university and valued the open-ness of an induction talk about periods in front of the whole year, and the access to free period products but would like them in all toilets and not restricted by gender (read by an actor).
And when you came out of that and got to university, and navigating, that’s all been OK?
Yeah, no, I do know that we did have a EDI talk in like induction week where they talked about a red box scheme at uni where they would have like free period products in a red box in all the campus buildings, and they tried to like make it as accessible. Because I think as well, unfortunately, the fact that we have to pay for it isn’t the best, but I think... I mean, Co-op does sell it for 75p, so, you know, like... And that’s OK. Yeah. And with a part-time job, I’m quite helpful in that I don’t have to worry about paying for, like, 75p, you know? But I do know that it is still not the best. But I think when you get it so sudden and you might not have the products, then it’s always good to just grab it quickly and be like: ‘OK, it’s there.’ ‘I’ve got it in the bag’? Yes. Yeah. And it’s just the box is right there so I can just take it out, so it’s all good. And I like that the uni did that. Yeah. So, I think... And the fact that they mentioned it in basically a lecture theatre in front of everyone, yeah, they’re removing the stigma.— That feels like progress, doesn’t it? Yeah. That really does feel like progress. It’s no longer hush-hush. It’s no longer all the boys leave the room, you know? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That is... that is really positive.
Mm. And... and there’s things that you were talking about: menstruation and gender and it being in all the toilets, is also, I think, progress?
Yes. I think... I don’t know too much about it being in all the toilets, but I would like for it to be in all of the toilets, I think, especially with people who are transmasc and people who are non-binary, it is important because the person might look, outwards, they might be passing for just a regular male, but they might have other access things that they will need. So, I don’t think it should just be in the girls’ toilet. But unfortunately, I do think that maybe in my sixth form, it was only in the girls’ toilet.
Access to period products and pain relief
Most of the young people we spoke with were aware of some kind of system in secondary school that let people who needed them get free access to period products. For some, like Lola, this was only introduced when she was nearly finished with school. Some young people said they preferred to bring in their own supply of period products, but there could still be times when they needed a pad or tampon, for example, and didn’t have one on them.
Where free period products were kept, how they were accessed, and which products were available varied. Sometimes the products were kept in the toilets, either in the outer toilet room or in the cubicles themselves, or in set places such as classrooms.
Scarlett’s school has a system whereby teachers who give out free period products have a flower on the window of their door. She finds this a helpful system and appreciates the kindness of the teachers who run it.
Scarlett’s school has a system whereby teachers who give out free period products have a flower on the window of their door. She finds this a helpful system and appreciates the kindness of the teachers who run it.
So, a lot of my... a lot of my teachers have the flower outside their door. So, after class, if someone started their period, you can just go up and ask for a pad or just... And we’re allowed to go to the toilet most... most of the... most of the periods, it’s just like right after lunch, or right after break, is whenever, you know, people say, “Oh, you should have gone at lunch, or you should have gone to break,” and that’s whenever you kind of have to say, “Yeah, I’ve started my period.” Which is—
OK. And I’ve not come across the system of flowers out the... outside the door, but that sounds great. Can... can you tell me a bit more about it?
Yeah. Every... every single... well, it’s mostly female teachers that have a flower outside their door to let girls know that there is period products inside. The woman that does it, like the woman that... the woman that has, you know, orchestrated the whole flower experiment for my school, she has loads of period products inside of like a cupboard, right outside of her classroom, just in case anyone needs, you know, anything quickly, so then they don’t have to talk to a teacher.
OK. So, the flower is mostly about products. Does it mean that they’re teachers that have maybe done training or are happy to talk about periods, or is it’s more about the products?
Teachers are usually happy to talk about it. But if you have... if anyone here, like in our... in my school, has any questions, you usually go to the head of, you know, the flower... the whole flower thing.
OK. And is she... is she someone that you can talk to about periods?
Yeah, she’s lovely, yeah, she’s very nice about it.
OK. And you said that was mostly the female teachers.
Uh-huh.
At Jade’s school, some teachers have a red sticker on their badge, which means you can talk to them about health or periods or ask for support.
At Jade’s school, some teachers have a red sticker on their badge, which means you can talk to them about health or periods or ask for support.
Not that bad, In my school we have teachers that, like... we have like little signs up in the girls’ toilets that tell you to find a teacher with a red sticker on their badge, or something, and if they have that, then you go to them and talk to them about health and...
Is that about health things or about period things?
Period things, mostly.
OK. And is that pain as well as bleeding?
I think so, yeah. I haven’t had to use it ’cause I have my own bag of supplies, but... yeah.
Mm, OK. And do you have pads and things in the school toilets? Can you get those, or do you have to go and find a teacher with a red dot?
You have to find the red sticker.
OK. And is the red sticker on the door or on the teacher? Like, do you know who they are?
I think it’s on their... I think it’s on their badge. They’re like... I don’t know. I say that like I haven’t got my own badge for sixth form, but yeah, they’ve got it on their badge.
OK. OK. But you don’t happen to know who they are? You... you’ve not needed to do that?
I don’t know who they are. I can probably guess who some of them are, but there’s probably people that I know would wear a red... red sticker, but I don’t know who they are specifically.
OK. OK. But you’ve kind of managed to avoid that by... by... by being kitted out.
Yeah. Yeah, well, it’s just like that sign’s not very helpful because it just says to find a teacher with a red dot, and you don’t know which ones have red dots on them, so...
No. And... and if you... I guess if you need a product in the toilet...?
Yeah, it’s just... yeah. I get they’re helping. That is helpful if I plan ahead, so...
In a number of schools, periods products were kept in the school office or first aid room. This could mean that young people needed permission to go there though, for example during class. As Emily Z explained, it can be “quite difficult to almost like be like: “Oh, can I... can I go to the red box?” ’cause that’s what it’s called in our school’”. In addition to having to explain why, other students might see them going to the school office or first aid room. For Ivy, having to go to reception and publicly ask for products was a barrier to feeling able to access them: “my mum used to work at the college and she told me there was a red box you could ask for. But a... again there’s so much shame in just asking for it, and especially having to do that in Reception around people, and I think a lot of the shame comes from that”.
Being seen to carry period products could also be a concern. During primary school for Willow, she would “hope that whatever you’re wearing has pockets, and stuff something in there”.
Many people found that it was easier to have them in the toilets. A downside some people had experienced though was pads being stolen or stuck on to people or walls.
Amalia’s school used to have free pads in the toilets, but they had sometimes been stolen and wasted. She now has to go to the nurse’s office to get them, which is a bit tricker for her.
Amalia’s school used to have free pads in the toilets, but they had sometimes been stolen and wasted. She now has to go to the nurse’s office to get them, which is a bit tricker for her.
I think at... for a few years we had this thing where we would have like pads in the bathroom, just like on the side: that didn’t really work because my school is quite like bad and people would just like steal the pads and then throw them around and then like take tape them on people’s backs, so they didn’t work completely, but now what they’ve done is they’ve put them in the nurse’s office, but I feel like that kinda... that access is a bit different, so it’s harder to get them. But I guess if you’re in a better-behaved school, having pads like easier to get is a good thing to have – but not in mine – not at all.
Period products were felt by some to be more easily and freely available in sixth form.
Even when products like menstrual cups or tampons were available, there was not always advice or guidance about how to use them, as Jian found when she collected her menstrual cup from school.
There was also variety across schools around pain relief for period pain. Reham and Ivy had been given pain medicines in school. Some schools gave out hot water bottles and heat pads.
However, for Sarenna and Emily Z, their school first aid services were not allowed to give out pain medications. Chloe’s school no longer loans hot water bottles as they often weren’t returned.
Dr Katy Vincent explains that over the counter painkillers can be effective for period pain and are safe for most people, but need to be taken in line with the guidance. This means they should not be shared with friends to make sure they are taken safely.
Dr Katy Vincent explains that over the counter painkillers can be effective for period pain and are safe for most people, but need to be taken in line with the guidance. This means they should not be shared with friends to make sure they are taken safely.
Painkillers can be really helpful when you've got period pain, and we would absolutely encourage people to use painkillers. And it is really important that we use them safely. So, the dose that you can take all the time between doses will vary depending which type of painkiller you're using.
And it's important not to share medicines between you and your friends. We know that happens all the time because it's really hard to get around how you can take these medicines at school, but systems at school should be set up to allow you to take medicines safely, and you need to understand what that system is within your school and get your parent, or your teachers or the school nurse on board to really help you set up a way of making sure that you can take medication when you need it, but that you're taking it safely and not sharing it with your friends.
Most painkillers are really safe for everybody. You can buy them over the counter, in the supermarket, in the chemists. You wouldn't be able to if they weren't safe drugs. But there are some people that can't take these drugs for specific reasons. So, it is really important that you know that the painkiller you're taking is safe for you and for that reason, you should only take medicines that are yours. You shouldn't borrow medicines from your friends, but also you shouldn't give your medicines to other people just in case they might not be safe for them either.
Support and understanding from school staff
Sometimes people working in school, like teachers, school nurses or support workers, could be important sources of advocacy and support for people with periods and period pain. Like Reham, some people said they felt more comfortable speaking to female staff, and Ela felt that “because they’re probably experienced really similar”. However, there were also examples of when male teachers who had been supportive, as well as times when female teachers had not.
Reham goes to a mental health leader when her pain is bad, who lets her use the staff toilets. Leila has a support worker in school who helps her with things to do with her period while she is at school. A number of people, like Chloe and Sage, valued support from the staff in the school medical or first aid rooms as they were sympathetic and kind when they were in pain. Zaynah had a close relationship with her deputy head of year when she was having a really difficult time with her health, and she found this ongoing support really helpful.
Eve appreciates being supported in school. She thinks it’s important teachers are calm and discreet, because otherwise it is frightening when they seem panicky (read by an actor).
Eve appreciates being supported in school. She thinks it’s important teachers are calm and discreet, because otherwise it is frightening when they seem panicky (read by an actor).
OK. And the more practical things, like the teacher who then told you where to find the pads and where to find the toilet with the bin...?
I feel like if... if they would say... say a bit less, ’cause they were like... it’s really hard when you’re have... you feel like really self-conscious, but... and then someone’s whooshing over you and all like: “Oh, my God, are you OK?” or blah-blah-blah, ’cause I feel like you just... they... the... sound frightened, so you feel frightened, and I feel like if they just say it as if it’s not a big deal and everyone has it and it’s not like.., it’s something that’s completely harmless, I feel like that would be a lot better.
OK. So, people around you being practical and calm,
Yeah.
…but also, maybe not drawing attention?
Yeah, I feel like just like less fussy. I mean of course you can be a bit like that, but it just... it just scares people.
Uh-huh.And when you’re feeling a little bit self-con... and I think you said you feel a bit self-conscious about it?
Yeah.
So, do... if people are fussing...?
It would just make me feel even more like self-conscious because if they’re like fussing and acting a bit worried, you’re just gonna be like... you’re just gonna be really upset because if they’re fussing and you feel self-conscious about it and you feel really like scared about it, you’re just gonna feel even worse.
For people with conditions associated with periods and period pain, like Liv and River, having guidance from school management teams or pastoral care leads has been valuable.
Iris did her school citizenship project about making period products available. She gave a talk about this to her class (read by an actor).
Iris did her school citizenship project about making period products available. She gave a talk about this to her class (read by an actor).
Can you tell me anything about what you’ve kind of noticed that’s led you to notice that or to kinda come up with that?
I think no-one really talks to guys about their periods and I think it would... I think it would be quite hard to start doing so because I think... not... I think the girls, for me, I... I would be fine, but it’s more about the reaction of other people. So, I think I would... I’d feel quite uncomfortable about that. I just don’t think they’re really talked about enough. We do have bo... throughout the period thing on Wednesdays, we do have boxes and we have like free-to-take stuff, but... and there’s girls’ toilets, specifically girls’ toilets that’s stocked with period stuff, but there’s actually not that much talk or awareness about it.
And can you tell me a bit about your product thing? ’cause that’s a fantastic...
Oh, yes.
the kinda taboo... do people feel happy to use that or do you feel like that kinda comes together a bit as well?
Yeah. So, for the project thing we do a citizenship GCSE from Year 9 to Year 10, so that was my Active Citizenship Project and so I chose to raise awareness about periods. And then I did have to actually do a presentation on periods to my class and that included about 70 percent boys. And actually they... there were no massive... I... I don’t think the boys were... they didn’t react at all, they weren’t laughing and they like... well, they didn’t ask me loads of questions, it was like fine. So, I think we do have like lots of period boxes, I think in Year 10 I think some boys would kind of like take the pads from there and like stick them up on the... on the walls, and stuff. I mean as... as they would. But actually, when you did... when we did change them in the Year 10 toilets’, they... I mean people did actually, actually use them, and so we’d like refresh them every Wednesday. Usually we... we do have a thing where you can... you’re... you’re welcome to come in and pick up stuff, but I think most people may not feel super-comfortable doing that, so we do have those boxes, and we have had a few people come in, but not loads, but... and I think the box is the main thing that we do.
OK. So... and your observation is that people are really glad to use them, but maybe more when it’s a bit private in the toilet rather than coming into a room to get them?
Yeah, I think... I think definitely, yeah, I agree
And... and I’m so glad your talk went well.
Oh, yeah, gosh. I was really stressing out about how people would react because from a class... like I think this was, yeah, Year 9 boys, so quite relatively immature. And then actually, I think, yeah, I had a female teacher and she was really empowering... empowering me to do this. And I know that she would have given them a talking to if they did say anything. And I think everyone... no-one treated me any differently. When that happened, I think it was pretty normal, actually, yeah.
Having extra allowances around exams, including taking breaks to go to the toilet or to rest, was also appreciated by those who had this support. Liv, who has a period-pain associated condition (endometriosis), has a plan in place with her school which includes permission to have a few days extension on her homework.
You can find out more here about how friends and peers were a huge source of support around periods for young people in school, including with providing products and advice.
For more see the impact of periods and period pain on education and work.
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