On Wednesday 25th March, WRDA and Menstruation Matters joined a panel of young women to discuss the key findings and recommendations of a report on bathroom access in schools in Northern Ireland.

The findings, based on 221 responses from young people, their parents and some medical practitioners, show some concerning trends. These include:

• Only 9% of respondents said that their school does not restrict bathroom access in some way
• 63.8% said that access was limited to break or lunch times, with some operating medical passes
• Of those schools where bathroom access is at the discretion of a teacher, inconsistencies are reported
• 46.1% of respondents have reported period leaks or accidents as a result of this policy
• Students report avoiding school when they have their periods, or experiencing anxiety as a result of the policy
• Some students report missing breaks because they have to queue for the bathroom
• Students and their families are rarely consulted when bathroom access is restricted

We have worked from these findings to try to find a series of recommendations that respect the rights of children to bathroom facilities, while at the same time appreciating schools’ concerns, and we believe that the recommendations are practical and sensible, including a survey of all schools by the Education Authority to ensure we have accurate data on how widespread the issue is.

You can read the full report here.