Bay of Plenty schools received hundreds of thousands of period products via a multi-million dollar government initiative

The Government's free period product initiative in schools was announced to be nationwide a year ago. Photo / Bevan Conley

Reduced shame and higher attendance are among the benefits Bay of Plenty schools supplied with free period products are seeing.

The Government announced this time last year it would begin a nationwide rollout of free period products in schools, to be available to all by June last year. This followed a pilot in the Waikato region.

At the time, education associate minister Jan Tinetti said it aimed to reduce barriers to education for all students and their whānau.

This week, she said it was an initiative she was very proud of.

"We will continue to roll out free period products for all students across New Zealand as part of a wider effort to reduce poverty, help increase school attendance and make a positive impact on student wellbeing."

In the Bay of Plenty, 153 schools and kura opted in to phase one of the initiatives.

Hundreds of thousands of tampons and pads have been supplied so far: In the Bay, 3000 cartons each contain 12 packs of product which provided enough for six students to manage one menstrual cycle.

Rotorua's John Paul College registered nurse Kat Sanford said more than 70 per cent of students needing to use period products were using the free supply.

She said it made sense at a time when period products were so expensive, and were only getting more so.

"It's saved many a girl an embarrassing moment at school."

The school's system was for those needing a pad or tampon to use a "special code".

But the initiative came with less obvious benefits: Sanford said it was working as a "door opener" with broader health issues and conversations.

"I get to say, 'how's your flow', not to pry but to maybe manage other health elements. They might say, 'Oh, I get a lot of pain', and I may direct them in different ways."

She started working at the school at the end of last year, and had already referred several students to gynaecologists.

Her only feedback to the Government was in the future, she wondered if they could include something "a little more 2022" - many of the students liked to use period underwear.

Period equity advocacy group Dignity general manager Anika Speedy said there was "such a huge need".

Dignity general manager Anika Speedy. Photo / Supplied

"We know it has such a huge influence on schoolchildren's ability to participate and engage, and on self-confidence."

She said it would be fantastic to see more sustainable products, such as period underwear, be introduced into the initiative.

Covid-19 had doubled, if not tripled, menstruator's need for help in accessing period products, she said.

At some of the organisations it worked with, rags and newspapers were used in lieu of pads and tampons.

Edgecumbe College principal Mike Jackson had only positive things to say about the initiative: "I think it's been great, to be honest."

The school had been working to improve student attendance and opted in at the beginning of last year.

It was about removing barriers to accessing school, he said.

"Who knows why these things aren't available at home? That's none of my concern. We just want to make sure the kids have got what they need to be here, really."

Of the 180 students at the school, he said about 30 per cent of girls were using the products available to them.

It worked on a 'high trust model", in that the girls were all told at the beginning of the year about the initiative, and could just get anything they needed from the nurse's office without the need to ask.

"It doesn't become an embarrassment for them . . . this is a place they need to feel safe, secure and looked after."

He said it was a fairly low socio-economic area, and to have the products available was fantastic.

Kawerau's Tarawera High School is decile one, and its 400 students ranged from Year 7 to Year 13.

Principal Helen Tuhoro said without the initiative there would be a drop in attendance.

"It would be a horrible thing, particularly in a low socio-economic area such as Kawerau where that would be a barrier for a basic health need all girls have."

Before opting in, the school had been supplied with period products by KidsCan. Girls as young as 10 were needing the products, she said.

These were freely accessible in 10 areas of the school.

"We give them more than what they need during the day, so if there is a barrier and no-one at home, potentially they have got enough for that period of menstruation."

There was far less whakamā, or shame, that way, she said.

Ministry of Education operations and integration leader Sean Teddy Hautū said 1,988 schools and kura opted in nationwide - 76 per cent of all state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand.

This was 94 per cent of estimated menstruating students in eligible schools and kura, he said. About 342,791 students were able to access product through the initiative, including about 27,520 in the Bay of Plenty.

"The initiative provides access and choice for any schools that identify a need, including schools where a need may not be obvious."

For example, a number of single-sex boys' schools partnered with other local schools for particular classes or across year groups and included students of more than one gender.

He said poor access to period products can affect students' attendance and engagement at school: "Students can endure the stigma of not being supported to properly manage what is a normal, healthy fact of life and miss out on learning, sporting and cultural activities, affecting their achievement and wellbeing."

Findings from the Youth19 Survey found 12 per cent of year 9 to 13 students who menstruate reported difficulty getting access to products due to cost.

Until June 2024, a budget of $25.6million was available, with $2.65 million spent to date.

For phase one product delivery, each school or kura arranged for students to collect products discreetly, depending on what worked best there.

For phase two of the initiative, schools will order through an online portal and participating schools can also order dispensers to be installed in bathrooms.

This stage will begin during Term One, and will look at increasing the product variety; at the moment, packs of pads and tampons, regular and super absorbency are available.

Hautū said feedback to date had been overwhelmingly positive: "Schools have provided feedback on the shifts in culture at school as the provision of product is beginning to reduce the stigma around periods generally for students."