Period Dignity Inverclyde

In Inverclyde, free period products are accessible for anyone in need. These products can be picked up from various community venues, either for personal use or on behalf of someone else. To locate a nearby venue, download the PickUpMyPeriod app.

For those who cannot collect products in person, an online ordering option offers free delivery directly to your address. Please refer to the Other Websites section on this page for links

Background

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021, implemented in August 2022, is groundbreaking legislation that makes Scotland the first country in the world to require all local authorities and education providers to offer free period products to anyone in need. This statutory provision builds on voluntary efforts in Inverclyde, where free period products have been available in educational settings since 2018/19.

The Act will ensure that everyone in Scotland who menstruates can have reasonably convenient access to period products, free of charge, as and when they are required.

Inverclyde Council upholds three key principles to guide access to free period products:

Reasonable Ease of Access: Ensuring products are readily accessible across the community.
Dignity: Respecting the privacy and dignity of individuals accessing the products.
Choice: Offering a variety of products to meet different needs, all free of charge.

Requirements of the Act

Local authorities were required to create a Statement on Exercise of Functions to outline the arrangements made to fulfill their legal obligations for providing free period products. The full statement is available in the Related Documents section of this page.

To ensure that these arrangements meet community needs, Inverclyde Council conducted extensive engagement from February to June 2022. This consultation involved individuals who might use free products themselves or collect them on behalf of others. Feedback was gathered from both young people in education and the wider community to understand preferences around access points and product types.

The consultation revealed that people would prefer to have access to bulk period products in convenient locations. This feedback helped guide Inverclyde Council in ensuring that products were provided in the following places;

Pharmacies GP Surgeries Online

The consultation indicated that people would like access to a range of period products both within educational settings and throughout the community, including:

Pads Tampons Panty Liners

Re-useable pads and pants were desired by those in education and so the online service will be advertised where they can access these products discreetly and with free of charge delivery direct to their door.

How to access products:

Pads and panty liners are available in all local education establishments in Inverclyde, with tampons also provided in all secondary schools. This ensures that students have access to a range of period products to meet their needs during school hours.

For anyone interested in ordering reusable period pants, pads, and menstrual cups, this can be done online. Please refer to the Other Websites section of this page for links to place your order. This option allows for convenient access to sustainable period products delivered directly to your home.

For a list of venues stocking period products within Inverclyde and across Scotland, please download the PickUpMyPeriod app. This app provides up-to-date information on locations where free period products are available.