Schools need to do more to educate their students about periods and support those who experience early onset of menstruation (early menarche) reports new research from Flinders University.
The new article in international journal Sex Education reports that more than 12 per cent of girls in Australia will have their first period between the age of eight and 11 years of age and yet the national school curriculum does not provide formal education – to either girls or boys – until they are 10 to 12 years old.
Flinders researcher Associate Professor Ivanka Prichard says that data shows the worldwide average age of starting a period has been steadily declining for decades across Western nations. The current average age is approximately 12.5 years, with early menarche commonly defined as occurring under 11 years of age.
“The education system has been slow to adapt to the earlier onset of periods, with a growing number of children now starting their period before being introduced to the subject at school. Early years primary students are often deemed too young to learn about periods or explain their own needs,” says Associate Professor Prichard.
Change is happening – but more needs to be done
While older parents can reflect on anecdotes of encountering resistance to period education for children in younger grades – driven by attitudes of some parents who expressed concerns that what comes under the banner of sex education should not be delivered to young children – Associate Professor Prichard told EducationDaily “we don’t have current information on the view of parents to say whether those attitudes are still prevalent or not”.
That’s because, she says, the study she was involved in “looked at what was currently available in the Australian curriculum and the knowledge of staff working in primary schools”.
“We want to remove any stigma or taboo that there might be around menstruation because it is a natural part of puberty and life,” she told EducationDaily. “Of course we don’t want to scare children, but there are ways that we can learn to navigate conversations to be able to scaffold health information so that we can support child growth and development.”
Early development can impact mental health outcomes
Previous research has shown that early development and onset of periods can have an adverse effect on adolescent health outcomes, with some individuals experiencing depression and other mental health issues.
“We know that the school environment is central in a child’s social and emotional development during puberty, and they need to be well-prepared ahead of starting their period to ensure it doesn’t negatively impact their lives,” says Associate Professor Prichard.
“Our findings raise critical questions about the current education arrangements in primary schools in Australia. There is evidence that staff perspectives and school practices can reinforce the idea that periods and early menarche is problematic and taboo.”
Access to education and health and well-being should not be restricted
She says that a problem around what she calls ‘”gatekeeping of knowledge” has been identified – with period education confined to a particular time, place and year in the curriculum, and restricted to a particular group of students.
“On the contrary, we would like teachers to be able to talk about period information at any time and always in a positive way with their students, regardless of age or gender,” Associate Professor Prichard says.
“We need to prioritise children by normalising positive conversations through comprehensive period education and provide appropriate supports for both teachers and students.”
Overcoming the stigma of early development
Associate Professor Prichard says a prevailing social stigma around periods is likely to be particularly pronounced for those experiencing early onset of periods while still at primary school.
“School education provides an important opportunity to start a conversation about periods, particularly to reduce stigma and equalise gaps and variation in what may be discussed at home,” she says.
The Flinders University study, funded by Flinders Foundation, explored school staff perceptions of the support on offer for early menarche by reviewing documents on curriculum, policies and procedures.
Researchers interviewed 15 people currently working in Australian primary schools including school principals, teachers, counsellors and school support officers (SSOs) to ascertain the levels of support available to students in this situation.
“Positive support practices and facilities for period education are needed in primary schools to normalise and encourage conversations with students about periods irrespective of age, gender, class or culture,” says study lead-author Olivia Marie Bellas.
“We hope the outcomes of our findings will lead to improved school processes and support materials that have been developed based on evidence of children’s lived experience, so those affected are adequately supported,” she adds.
Associate Professor Prichard is one of several researcher contributors to the article, Staff perceptions of support for early menarche in Australian primary schools: a qualitative study – part of a series of consultations and surveys of young people in South Australia undertaken by the Commissioner for Children and Young People that explored exploring issues around period education and its impacts.
Schools play a critical role
For schools caught in the middle of the above situation – with parents actively trying to stop meaningful health education – figuring out what support to offer to commit to improving education in this area is important, Associate Professor Prichard told EducationDaily.
“Schools play a critical role in helping young people understand their development, and that includes knowing about periods before they begin,” she says.
“The curriculum needs to explain what menstruation is, why it happens, the ways it can be managed and how it will begin happening to their peers and that this is normal. To help with this, and any parental concerns, we need clear communication with students and parents, and we need more positive portrayals of periods in the community and the media.”
One example of this, she says, is the work done in South Australia by the Commissioner for Children and Young People on period justice.
“We can also look to follow the work done in other countries around introducing period positive curriculum.”
Cultural sensitivities must be respected
“Students in classrooms across Australia have needs that are diverse and that are influenced by geographic, cultural, or religious factors,” she told EducationDaily.
“We will always have these sensitivities, but the need to be balanced with ensuring that young people have the information that they need about their bodies within the Australian curriculum to be able to understand changes to their bodies when they occur.”
But while there is still work to do to work out the best way to deliver the information, the critical truth is clear, Associate Professor Prichard says.
“Period education is important for every young person today. We want every young person to be able to manage their periods in school easily and without shame – regardless of the age that they get them.”
