Access to free period products in educational settings during the 2018-19 academic year: monitoring and evaluation report

1. Executive Summary

Background

Access to period products has received growing attention over the past few years. Research has identified a range of reasons why people may struggle to access the period products they need. Scotland is a world-leader in its actions to provide access to free period products. Since August 2018, the Scottish Government has delivered policies to provide access to free period products in educational settings, including schools, colleges and universities.

The Scottish Government carried out an evaluation, supported by COSLA and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), of access to free period products in educational settings during the first full academic year of delivery, from 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2019.

The primary aims of the evaluation were to gain insight into the different models of access being implemented, including what works in providing access to period products and any lessons learned, and to gain insight into the views and experiences of students, including what impact, if any, providing access to period products has had on them.

Methodology

The evaluation considered the provision of free period products in educational settings across Scotland delivered by all 32 local authorities, 26 publicly-funded colleges and 19 universities in Scotland. A mixed methods approach was taken.

Data from education providers

A range of monitoring data was collected from local authorities, colleges and universities, including on the cost of policy delivery, the number and types of period products purchased, and delivery and purchasing approaches.

Additional qualitative data was obtained through a workshop attended by representatives from seven local authorities, which included discussion of 'what works' in delivery and factors influencing uptake of free period products in schools.

Case studies of delivery approaches in local authorities, colleges and universities, produced by COSLA and SFC in collaboration with the Scottish Government, are presented in this report to provide illustrative examples of activity undertaken to provide access to free period products in educational settings.

Data from pupils and students

A survey of over 3,500 young people was carried out by Young Scot on behalf of the Scottish Government, between 19 June and 2 September 2019. The purpose was to gather pupil and student views on their experience of accessing free period products from their school, college or university and any impacts the provision had on them. The survey also provided pupils and students with the opportunity to suggest ways in which the provision could be further developed.

Research Findings

All local authorities, colleges and universities were providing voluntary access to free period products for pupils and students by the end of the 2018-19 academic year. A range of delivery models were in place, with products most commonly available in pupil or students toilets.

All local authorities, colleges and universities reported having some provision in place to cover the holidays. For local authority delivery, this most commonly involved encouraging school pupils to 'stock up' in advance of the holidays and providing period products in community settings accessible to younger people. For colleges and universities, products were most commonly available on campus in locations accessible to students outside of term time.

When asked about what they felt had worked well in delivery, institutions tended to focus on the involvement of pupils and students in shaping delivery approaches and product availability; the ease of access to products; providing dignified access; and, for local authorities, taking a flexible local approach.

A range of product types were being made available, with sanitary towels being the most commonly purchased product for distribution schools and sanitary towels and tampons purchased in similar proportions by colleges and universities.

Pupils and students reporting taking a range of products, with 1 in 8 taking sanitary towels and 1 in 6 taking tampons.

A minority of pupils and students reported receiving reusable period products with 4% receiving menstrual cups and 2% receiving reusable pads.

Over 8 in 10 of pupils and students reported that they were able to access their preferred product. Among the minority who reported that they were not able to access their preferred type of products, just over half reported that they would have preferred to access a reusable period product in some form, with menstrual cups being the most popular.

The median product unit price was just under 12p for disposable period products. Reusable period products were significantly more expensive per unit, but the product usage requirement per person is considerably less than disposable products.

The numbers of disposable period products purchased would support a median of 11% of school pupils, 4% of college students and 10% university students to access their full annual product requirement. However, there was considerable variation across local authorities, colleges and universities.

Almost 9 in 10 pupils and students stated that they had used or needed to use a period product in the past year. Of these, almost two thirds reported that they had taken or received free period products from their school, college or university in the past academic year.

Among the pupils and students who reported accessing period products from their school, college or university, over 8 in 10 reported that the availability of free period products had a positive impact on them. Of these, almost 9 in 10 reported that they were less worried about having their period and over 6 in 10 reported that they were more able to continue with their day-to-day activities. A quarter stated that the availability of free period products had helped improve their mental health and wellbeing.