In our latest team blog, Poverty Proofing expert Bethany Reeve uses her first-hand experience of talking to young people about period poverty in school to explore the issue and shares what staff can do to help combat it.

What is ‘period poverty’?

Period poverty is when an individual lacks the financial means to access sanitary products, sanitation facilities and adequate education surrounding periods. Period poverty is believed to affect 1 in 3 girls at some point in their lifetime. With the cost-of-living crisis and poverty levels on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, girls living in the North East of England are suffering disproportionately from period poverty, and it is expected in the coming years, period poverty will be on the rise due to the current financial climate. On average, a girl will start their period between ages twelve to thirteen, however, girls can start their periods as early as eight years old, making it vital to educate and discuss periods within both primary and secondary schools. A recent survey conducted by Water Aid uncovered the horrifying statistics that 26% of girls’ wear period products longer than they should, posing a huge health risk and 15% have taken time off school or work due to their period.

The Red Box Project

Founded in 2017, the Red Box Project was set up by three friends who wanted to provide young girls with sanitary supplies in their local area. After carrying out research surrounding period poverty in England they decided to take action aiming to ensure there were always period products available for girls in schools within their local area. Feedback received from the teachers and school staff in these schools suggested this was a nationwide issue. This then drove the founders of the Red Box Project as well as hundreds of volunteers both in the UK and overseas to campaign and launch a legal challenge against the Government. This fight for menstrual equality saw the change in Government policy in early 2020 with the government now providing menstrual products in all schools and colleges across the country.

Why it matters

14% of girls admitted they didn’t know what was happening to their body when they began their period. This can be a terrifying time for a young girl if they are not educated on what is happening to their body.

It is common for girls to feel embarrassed about their period, not only for young girls but women as well. Although periods are experienced by approximately 50% of the population the subject of them is still extremely taboo. Many schools have policies in place which involve the individual asking a teacher for sanitary products or using a code word to alert the teacher they need sanitary support. However, research has found approximately 78% of girls don’t feel comfortable speaking to their teacher about their period.

For these girls having to go to a teacher may cause avoidable stress and upset at an already sensitive time for them. For this reason, it is important that girls can access sanitary provision without having to directly address a teacher or member of staff. An alternative system which is being adopted by many schools is known as the ‘red box’ system. This entails a member of staff keeping a fully stocked box of period products in the bathroom at all times. It is vital that this box contains a variety of absorbency levels and both pads and tampons to make these provisions accessible to all. Ensure all girls are aware of the supplies and monitor the box regularly to ensure supplies are never running low.

At Children North East, during our Poverty Proofing® The School Day audits, pupil support around periods and access to sanitary provisions is investigated. We see a range of different support in place for girls, from excellent practice like the Red Box system to schools where girls are unaware of not only what the systems are in school but what the word period or sanitary protection means. We know that there are also cases of pupils taking products home for other family members to use. Being able to bring this to school attention is vital and shows that more awareness of this topic can bring better practice, improving the lives and the opportunities for young women.

Top tips for combating period poverty

• Make products easily and discretely accessible.
• Ensure there is a range of products for different needs.
• Consider what provision can be made for during holidays.
• Include the pupils in coming up with a system that will work for them.
• Don’t make accessibility dependent on speaking to an adult at school.
• Be vigilant for stigma or bullying relating to use of school-provided products.
• Avoid distributing products in busy areas of the school.
• Consider if how products are accessed impacts other parts of the school day, like lunchtime.

Thanks to your incredible support, our Christmas appeal raised £29K to provide life-changing services.

Here at Children North East, we’re back from the festive break still blown away by the support we’ve seen over the Christmas period, with our Hope for Christmas Appeal raising over £29K! Every penny will help us provide life-changing support to babies, children, young people and their families in these difficult times.

It was wonderful to see so many individuals, businesses and groups get involved with our appeal in fun, festive and creative ways… including an animation competition, a carol service and beautiful bakes galore. Thank you to everyone who took part!

One of our favourite parts of the appeal was a poem written especially by local poet Scott Tyrrell: Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Toon, performed for us by our wonderful Patron Tim Healy.

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the Toon

The bairns were hoping Santa’d come soon

Some kids wished for Jiggly Pets

Some bairns wanted Lego

Some parents just wanted a glass of bordeux

and enjoy the twinklies and the peace and quiet

before the next day’s unwrapping riot

Some kids lay awake, too excited to sleep

Some drifted away in dreams so deep

And some kids just wanted to know, that night

that everything was going to be alright

So from us to you, we wish all things bright

A Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

If you’re considering supporting our charity in 2023, we’ve already got some exciting events planned, including Great North Run places and our first-ever Milecastle Challenge a walking experience with a difference. Watch this space for more ways to get involved.

In our latest team guest blog Emma Leggott, one of our expert Poverty Proofing managers, brings together key insights and reflections to support organisations considering becoming a warm space.

There is a real interest from cultural organisations who are either thinking about or already have, turned their gallery spaces, exhibition rooms, cafes and music halls into Warm Spaces. This roundup from Children-North East shares some of what’s been happening in our region and some things to think about, using some of the key principles from Poverty Proofing®. 

‘A Warm Welcome’ Setting up a Warm Space in your Community offers a comprehensive guide commissioned by Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis, covering everything from suitability of venue, access, transport and health & safety. It goes into great detail and even provides a handy risk assessment template at the end! Gateshead Council have also done a lot of work in this area and have quickly acted, turning two of their most prestigious cultural venues into Warm Spaces.

Providing a Warm Welcome 

Aside from all the practical stuff, we loved the reflection that welcoming people into your space is vital to ensuring that those who need it most feel able to use it. We couldn’t agree more.   

In accessing cultural venues, we know that those on the lowest incomes face the greatest number of ‘hurdles’. We also know attendances are lower as a result (The Warwick Commission, 2015). We must hold in our minds eye therefore and understand – when thinking about warm hubs – that deeply held perceptions of prejudice and class inequality are not all of a sudden going to dissipate because there’s a cold snap and a cost-of-living crisis. 

Whilst the concept of Warm Spaces is still so new, how they are perceived by people living in poverty is not yet widely known or understood. There is an argument, however, that the set-up is not dissimilar to foodbanks. Despite recent surges in demand for foodbanks there is still a stigma surrounding them and associated feelings of shame, guilt and pride can often prevent people from getting help when they need it most. 

Poverty Proofing® 

From a Poverty Proofing® perspective, no matter how well intentioned or well-meaning an action, if it identifies, excludes, treats differently or makes assumptions about those whose income or resources are lower than others it is likely to miss the point and may even cause further stigmatisation.  

Therefore, making someone feel welcome, is as important as the intervention itself. Putting the heating on, opening up a venue, doing a risk assessment; this is the straightforward part. The art of great ‘Hostmanship’ is making ‘someone feel the best they can’. It is where the skill and thought comes in and – from a commercial perspective – the input that is most likely to see the greatest impact for your time, effort and investment.  

Cultural Venues as Warm Spaces: The Exciting Part 

What brings us great joy here at Children North East is that we know that the cultural sector is full of brilliantly creative, socially engaged artists, practitioners and free-lancers. Use your collections, your volunteers and your Front of House team to face this challenge head on in the most artistically, creative and culturally inspired way possible. 

Think about Language   

We heard CEO of Oasis Trust talking earlier this year about opening up doors in their schools and other settings but calling it a movie night or a family bingo evening, to avoid stigmatizing and othering language.  

What ingenious responses can you come up with that will help relate coming into your space to more exciting and universal activities than just warmth? 

Think about Value for Money  

Whatever you do, it must create value. Ask yourself, if I was a person or a family on a really low income would the overall benefit of coming to your space outweigh the overall cost of leaving the house? This could include direct costs such as transport and appropriate winter clothing or hidden costs such as missing home-life routines (leaving the dog, not being able to watch what you want on the telly), going somewhere alone, bad weather, arriving back to a cold house and so on. 

A Warm Welcome outlines six other areas to consider when thinking about Hostmanship in Warm Spaces: 

• Serving (taking a genuine interest in someone else’s well-being)
• Maintaining the big picture (having the right person to meet guests – sets the tone for the whole thing) 
• Taking responsibility (being courageous to stand on the other persons side) 
• Caring (letting people see the human in us) 
• Knowing (about other cultures and being open no matter who they are)  
• Dialogue (listening first and opening up to dialogue) 

Join the Conversation  

We hope this piece has provided some food for thought and whether you have already opened your doors as a Warm Space or are thinking about it join the debate! Tell us your ideas, your stories and share your learning on Twitter, tagging @ChildrenNE.

Learn more about Poverty Proofing®

For organisations wanting to take informed, effective action on creating inclusive cultural services and experiences, our Poverty Proofing© Cultural Organisations team can support teams to listen to the experiences of their visitors, communities, staff, volunteers and trustees on how poverty impacts them.

References

A Warm Welcome, Setting up a Warm Space in your Community, Warwickshire County Council, Martin Lewis Foundation. Online, available from a_warm_welcome_2022.pdf (ymaws.com) 

• The Warwick Commission (2015) ‘Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity & Growth,’ University of Warwick, available from: warwick_commission_final_report.pdf, accessed 09.10.22. 
• Whitaker, S. (2016) Hurdles to the participation of children, families and young people in museums: a literature review, Kids in Museums, available from: Hurdles-to-Participation.pdf (kidsinmuseums.org.uk), accessed 09.10.22. 

In our latest team guest blog, Poverty Proofing Co-ordinator Joanna Lowes shares her experience of joining Children North East.

A good friend of mine sent me the job description; “Oh I’m not sure I thought” whilst researching all about the charity and being astounded by their work. I found my inner self talking to a much younger Jo, who as a child lived in some areas of deprivation. This gave me fire in my belly to want to help people, from a young age.

That was 30 plus years ago and It was incredible to find that Children North East have been supporting families just like this since 1891. The thought of leaving my job as a wellbeing champion in a large primary school was daunting. I had helped create meaningful relationships with families and children who needed support, nurture or just a helping hand – I got to see and feel the other side of education and so it was hard to say goodbye but I felt empowered to want greater change.

My first day at Children North East was a ‘service day’, bringing together all the frontline teams. I arrived early and sat nervously in the car… yet as I entered the room, I instantly felt at ease. The hall was buzzing with personalities that echoed the ethos of the charity. The day began with overviews and presentations from different people who worked in other areas of the organisation. The afternoon focused on a team building task that was brought out laughter and togetherness.

The nervous energy I felt prior to 9:30 now felt like excitement, readiness to learn, and everyone was genuinely lovely and welcoming.

Day two and I was off to visit a primary school with a colleague on an audit; meeting with children across the school, talking to staff to gather their views of potential barriers to education and how poverty may affect their school. Here I am weeks in and although there is still lots to learn. I am fascinated by the cause and learning something new every single day whilst helping break down barriers for children and families experiencing poverty.

I know I am working with an incredibly talented team who support one another. We’re all steering in the same direction for that greater change.

I still get to create those meaningful relationships just in a different way, engaging with, parents, staff and young people is brilliant! If leaders can plan the school day for just one child they know who is living in poverty then they will poverty proof their setting for all whilst still creating a fun experience – making sure that it is a fair playing field despite the disparities that society can create.

If you’re interested in joining Joanne and the team here at Children North East, explore our vacancies and find your next chapter.

Children North East and People’s Postcode Lottery have launched a new film sharing the impact of funds raised by players of the lottery within local communities across the North East.

Featuring iconic Geordie actor, and Children North East Patron, Tim Healy, and People’s Postcode Lottery Ambassador, Judie McCourt, ‘Home Is Where Hope Is’ explores Tim’s childhood growing up in the West End of Newcastle. The film also highlights the impact of funding, raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and the positive impact it has had on those living in the area now.

The film emphasises the different ways the charity offers help and hope to children, young people and their families facing difficult experiences, often made harder by poverty.

With 38% of children in the North East growing up in poverty and many families facing the devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis, access to the types of support highlighted in the film are more important than ever.

Tim, who has been a patron of the charity for more than 20 years, discussed with Judie, who also grew up in the North East, the vital difference the charity has had on his beloved Newcastle.

Whilst walking along his childhood street Tim comments: “Children North East is basically about care in the community. It looks after families in this area, and me being from here, it means a lot to me.”

Children North East exists to create life-changing differences for babies, children and young people in their families, schools and communities.

They work to ensure they grow up feeling safe, loved, and resilient to face whatever challenges may come their way.

Commenting on the release of the film, Tim said:

“It was a certainly a nostalgic experience heading back to the West End of Newcastle and exploring how it had changed. The work of Children North East on the same streets I grew up on is often a lifeline for young people and their families. I am so grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for raising funds for amazing charities like Children North East and for continuing to make sure the charities support is available to those that need it the most.”

Judie McCourt, ambassador at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “The North East is home to me so to see the incredible impact that this funding is having on a local charity makes it even more special for me.

“Children North East make such a huge difference to so many lives across the North East and it was fantastic to join Tim and visit one of the areas that is impacted by funds raised by lottery players.”

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £3m in funding for Children North East for over the last 15 years. The funding continues to provide life-changing help across the North East each year.

David Bavaird, Chair of the Trustees at Children North East, comments, “The support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery is transformative for our charity and the communities it serves. In the past three years players have raised funds that have not only supported life-changing services, like those seen in the film, but allowed us keep lifelines of support going during the pandemic against the odds. It is great to see their impact reflected in this new film.”

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “This time of year can be particularly difficult for many people and this film

highlights that there are a lot of people who continue to face challenges every day of the year. To know that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are able to support a charity like Children North East who are there to make things easier for families is really special.”

Learn more about the People’s Postcode Lottery on their website.

Children North East is delighted to announce that Poverty Proofing® Health Settings has been shortlisted for ‘Most Impactful Project Addressing Health Inequalities’ at the national HSJ Partnership Awards 2023, recognising their outstanding dedication to improving healthcare and effective collaboration with the NHS. The shortlisting is alongside long-term collaborators of the project Child Health and Wellbeing Network and North East and North Cumbria ICS.

The national healthcare sector has faced innumerable pressures over the past 12 months and this year the Awards seek to highlight the quality and impact of partnerships across the NHS in the face of challenges.

The HSJ Partnership Awards recognise and honour the most effective partnerships, innovative projects and collaborations in the UK health system. The prestigious award programme, now in its sixth year, is not just a celebration of success stories but also a platform to shape the future of our new integrated health and care system.

The judging panel comprised a diverse range of highly regarded figures across the NHS and wider healthcare sector. To be shortlisted as a finalist for these awards, despite tough competition from a pool of brilliant applications, is a mark of real achievement for Children North East. Poverty Proofing® Health Settings has been selected based on their diligence, ambition, and the positive impact that the project has had on both practitioners and patients within the healthcare industry.

Poverty Proofing® Healthcare is a community-consultation research model supporting healthcare settings to understand and mitigate the impact of poverty on engagement with and outcomes of healthcare. Unseen barriers to participation are identified through explorative conversations with individuals living in poverty and professionals, alongside an audit of processes and policies. Learnings inform recommendations and best practice shared with leaders and managers to enact change. Training is also delivered to staff, empowering them to integrate ‘Poverty Proofing’ into daily decision-making. 

The outcome is sustainable, systemic change that reduces health inequalities caused by poverty. 

HSJ editor Alastair McLellan comments: “We would like to congratulate Children North East on being nominated in the category of ‘Most Impactful Project Addressing Health Inequalities’ ahead of HSJ Partnership Awards 2023. We are looking forward to welcoming them to the ceremony in March, to join us in recognising the very best collaborations and innovations in the healthcare sector. This year’s finalists are of an outstanding calibre and all of them are exceptionally dedicated to enhancing healthcare across the UK.” 

The winners will be announced on 23 March 2023.