https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq6v-kIcG_Y&t=2s

Clitoris documentary

https://vimeo.com/222111805

The Clitoris a musical history

https://www.youtube.come/watch?v=kv3E2pBC1R2A

Viva la Vulva

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k-_4WloY6Y

Womb stories

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZoFqIxlbk0

You can catch The Blobcast on your favourite podcast platforms:

• Spotify 

• Apple Podcasts 

• YouTube.

You can catch The Blobcast on your favourite podcast platforms:

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts 

• YouTube.

24% of girls aged 10-11 (Yr 6) are concerned about body changes. This is ranked as the 5th biggest concern for young girls of this age.

29% of Yr 6 girls stated that they way they looked was their 3^rd biggest worry.

19% of primary school aged girls said they weren’t allowed to go to the toilet when they wanted to.

Positively 35% of girls reported that their school toilets are clean although 29% of Primary school aged girls said that their toilets were unclean or very unclean.

Secondary School Data: Yr 8 and Yr 10

72% of secondary aged girls are worried about their appearance, ranked 2nd highest and significantly higher than the Somerset Average.

40% of secondary aged girls are worried about their physical health which ranked 7^th in the top 10 list of worries for this age group.

75% of secondary aged girls were not allowed to go to the toilet when they wanted to

Only 9% of secondary aged girls reported that their school toilets are clean, 56% said that the toilets were unclean or very unclean.

41% of secondary aged girls don't talk to anyone about their worries which is significantly higher than Somerset Average

33% of secondary aged girls reported that they don’t feel confident getting help if they feel worried which is significantly higher than Somerset average

From blocked sewers costing £100 million a year to period products washing up on British beaches, the environmental impact of flushing is significant — and entirely preventable. Here's what you need to know, and how one small change can make a real difference.

Surprisingly, nearly one in five girls admitted staying away from lessons due to embarrassment about being on their period, while 8% highlighted the unavailability of period products as a contributing factor.

500m girls and women globally don’t have the essentials they need to manage their period.

20% of girls aged 14-21 in the UK have experienced teasing or bullying around their periods.

Period poverty isn’t just about money. It's a ‘toxic trio’ of issues preventing girls from managing their periods as they need to.

1. The cost of period products.

Many struggle to cover the cost of their periods. They may go without products or unsafely improvise with rags or other materials.

2. The lack of education about periods.

Young people aren’t being taught how the menstrual cycle works. And if you don't understand your body or what a healthy period looks like, you can’t ask for medical help when you need it. 

3. The shame, stigma and taboo about periods.

Girls are made to feel there’s something wrong with their bodies when they have their period. They may withdraw from activities and be denied the chance to enjoy life to the full.  

29% of students needed permission from a teacher to leave the classroom

5% of teachers reported school toilets being locked

16% of teachers had prevented a student who has periods from using the bathroom during class

30% of teachers felt that students on their periods should wait until the end of a lesson to access a toilet

26% of teachers admitted there had been a subsequent issue, such as a student bleeding through their uniform

In 2016 the State of Girls’ Rights in the UK report showed that here in the UK there are also specific challenges for girls, as well as many of the same problems of gender-based violence, discrimination and gender stereotypes that hold girls back around the world. Girls are not only feeling unsafe in schools, on the streets and online, but their education, career choices and ability to be heard are also being negatively impacted. Having listened to the concerns of girls in the UK about their rights more broadly, Plan International UK wanted to explore some areas of specific concern more thoroughly, such as digital rights, street harassment and relationships and sex education.

This report therefore seeks to examine a key issue for girls – menstrual stigma and taboo – and expose the negative impacts on their lives and the solutions that could challenge this stigma and address its impacts.

Come on in for period chat, as one listener has tampon trouble plus a mum’s been in touch to share the most memorable moment of her parenting life. Spoiler alert - the story contains a drawer and a poo. 

A teacher’s been in touch with a spectacular story about a group of year 8 boys and one gorgeous listener has recommended Teen Commandments to the police.  

Ooh and you know how Sara and Clare have always said they are absolutely not here to give advice? Well never forget that Sara has her 20-meter swimming badge and Clare is a qualified hairdresser. What more could you want from ‘teenage experts’? 

This image is a great top tips guide you might want to use.

Here are some easy top tips to help you.

Check out this simple guide to help you out when choosing what food to eat, and what to avoid!

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21% of girls, women and people who menstruate in the UK are now struggling to afford period products – an increase of 12%

•

41% kept sanitary pads or tampons in for longer and 8% have to re-use disposable pads.

•

37% said they had used tissues or cotton wool instead of sanitary pads, whilst 13% said they had used socks or other clothing and 9% resorted to using paper or newspaper.

•

60% of respondents had to prioritise purchasing food, and 48% prioritise purchasing gas/electricity, over purchasing period products.

Young People (11-19) - 07840 635516

Call: 0300 790 9854

Email: schoolnursingduty@somerset.gov.uk

Parents: 078406 35515

Call: 0300 7909854

Email schoolnurseduty@somerset.gov.uk

You don't have to use all the resources, they are designed as a pick and mix of tools to help promote and raise awareness of the importance of positive period health education for children and young people.

Please do sign up and add any resources which you think might be useful for your community.

Thank you for using this padlet. Please contact jameelah.ingram@somerset.gov.uk if you would further help and support

The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Some women experience complete retention. Others experience partial urination with a residual amount of urine left in the bladder.

Some women may experience back pain, suprapubic pain (pain over the bladder) or dysuria (discomfort/burning whilst passing urine) due the urinary infections that retention can cause.

In the past, we have collaborated with Vapianos and The London House of Wellbeing to host in-person support group events, fostering community, sharing experiences, and providing valuable support to those affected by fibroids.

Follow us on Instagram @guidancesuite to stay up to date with future support group details, events, and join us in our journey to support women’s health and well-being.

To support primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and 6th Forms, in fulfilling their legal obligation to provide toilet access to all students by equipping them with the tools needed to create an accessible, inclusive, working toilet policy to ensure all students can use the toilet facilities as and when they need.

​

The resources available on this page were created in consultation with over 100 Muslim women from Sheffield and Rotherham. Guided by what women said they wanted to know and how they wanted the information presented, four key resources were developed covering:

​

• Period pain & menstrual health conditions

• How to talk to your doctor & advocate for yourself

• Menstrual products

• Diet and menstrual wellbeing

​

The resources are available to download in English, Urdu, and Arabic - and will soon be available in Somalian. Resources tailored specifically for Sikh communities are currently in development and will be added to this page in the near future!

​

This work is funded by the University of Sheffield. 

Specialised medical expertise and educational initiatives provide the support and knowledge you need to confidently embrace every stage of life.

Diane became acutely aware of the woeful lack of education and information about menopause for both the public and health care practitioners as a result of her own dreadful experience following surgery which put her into surgical menopause.

Determined to use her experience to lead the call for change to ensure that women of the future would not suffer in the way that she did Diane created the national #MakeMenopauseMatter campaign  which calls for mandatory menopause education for doctors, greater menopause awareness and support in the workplace and for menopause to be added to the RSE curriculum in secondary school education.

We are delighted to say that menopause was added to the RSE curriculum in England from September 2020 and all medical students will be taught about menopause from 2024. Huge thanks to everybody who has signed the campaign petition so far.

1 in 8
​Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) (formerly called PCOS) is a very common condition that affects 1 in every 8 women in the UK. It manifests differently in each person and can be incredibly devastating to an individuals self esteem and quality of life. There is no known cause or cure.

Women’s Health Concern (WHC) was established in 1972, and has been the patient arm of the BMS since 2012. WHC provides a confidential, independent service to advise, inform and reassure women about their gynaecological, sexual and post reproductive health.

They provide safe and welcoming spaces where young people can explore their identities, connect with others and develop confidence in who they are. Through youth groups, one-to-one or outreach support, they help young people feel less isolated and better able to navigate the challenges they may face.

Their work focuses on helping young people build resilience and move towards a place of healthy self-acceptance.

Other agencies working with vulnerable or young people can refer into these clinics. The team also offers pop up clinics in various outreach sites around the county

We also have a Nurse Specialist on site and a Pain Team available to us. We can make referrals for you to Fertility, Dieticians and Psycho-sexual counselling if required.

Also regularly working alongside are theatre teams both in Day Surgery and Main Theatre.

Action 65: we will work with the DfE to update the NHS England resource for schools.

Action 66: we will partner with voluntary sector and commercial organisations to share health information and advice and improve access to services for women and girls

This guide is offered as a way to map and contextualise the skills, knowledge and understanding that will best support all pupils, whether they menstruate or not.

Common Secondary Aged Questions

1. 
   Is it normal to like both boys and girls?

2. I’m not attracted to anyone is that normal? 

3.  How can I tell my mum I’ve started my period? 

4. One of my breasts/testicles is larger than the other is this normal? 

5. Is it ok to masturbate?/ Can you masturbate too much?

6. What’s the difference between gender and sexuality? 

7. Should periods hurt a lot?

8.  Why do some people remove their pubic/body hair?

9. Why is everyone so obessed with sex?

10. How do two men/two women have sex?

11. Does sex hurt?

12. Is it normal for the inner lips to be outside the outer lips?

13. What does semen taste like?

14. How do people actually have sex?

15. How can I deal with my moods?

16. Do you have to have anal?

17. Why is everyone obsessed with labels for their gender and sexuality?

18. If you dont get boners does it mean you are gay?

19. What is an orgasm?

20. My boyfriend is sometimes mean to me in front of his mates, what can I do?

21. How can I make someone like me/love me?

22. Is it rape if you are drunk?

23. Can you watch too much porn? Is porn realistic?

24. Is sex always enjoyable?

25. Can you wear two condoms at once?

26. Can a woman rape a man?

27. Whats a g-spot?

28. Can you get pregnant without having sex?

29. Can you get an STI from oral?

30. Are orgasms good for you?

This podcast brings together insight, advice and expertise from across women’s sport.

Each episode features a discussion on some of the key issues and barriers affecting women and girls.

Episode 19 and 14 looks at engaging girls in sport at school and the issues surrounding menstruation.

Dr Natalie Brown works with elite female athletes looking at the impact of their periods and their cycle on performance. It was their lack of knowledge that led her to question what was being taught in schools.

Funded by Sport Wales, the ‘teachers’ perceptions and experiences of menstrual cycle education and support in UK schools’ study is the latest stage of research into the impact of the menstrual cycle on female participation in sport.

A survey of 789 UK school teachers found that only 53% of secondary school teachers reported that menstrual cycle education lessons were taught in their school. Of the teachers who were aware of their school’s menstrual cycle syllabus, 144 reported that a maximum of two lessons were provided per year. 90% of teachers that responded to the survey were female and almost one in four (23%) reported that they were uncomfortable teaching about the menstrual cycle.

The study also found that teachers felt periods affected attendance, participation in exercise, as well as behaviour and confidence.

The report recommended giving teachers more time, training and support to deliver classes regularly as well as providing more information on the emotional and social aspects of the menstrual cycle.

Dr Brown commented: “It should no longer be a taboo subject. We need to reframe the narrative and normalise conversations about menstruation.”