Transgender children could face “psychological” repercussions if they are allowed to change gender, a landmark review will rule.
The number of children identifying as transgender has seen a significant rise, with growing concerns that schools are allowing pupils to change their gender without informing their parents, despite government guidance to the contrary.
Cass’s review of gender identity services for children has committed to looking at the “important role of schools” and the difficulties they face in relation to “gender questioning” students.
The review, led by Dame Hilary Cass, is due to be published on Wednesday and is expected to say children could experience “psychological” repercussions if they are allowed to change their name and pronoun.
The final review will say that prepubescent children should not follow the same “path” as older adolescents who want to change to the opposite sex.
Cass’s review, directed by Dame Hilary Cass (pictured), will be published on Wednesday.
The Department for Education (DfE) is likely to reflect the findings of the review in its guidance for teachers on dealing with transgender children. The Telegraph reported. The final version of the guide will be published later in 2024.
After the Cass interim review was published in 2022, Tavistock transgender clinic Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) announced it would close because it was deemed unsafe for children.
Between 2021 and 2022, several five-year-olds were referred to the controversial GIDS at the Tavistock clinic.
Some clinic patients received real treatment, which could include puberty blockers and hormones that help change their bodies to more align with their gender identity.
In 2020, former patient Keira Bell took the clinic to the High Court claiming she had not been questioned enough before being prescribed the drugs at age 16.
NHS England said it would alternatively transfer young people who believed they were transgender to regional centers that took a more “holistic” approach and looked at other medical or mental health problems the child may have.
Maya Forstater, executive director of Sex Matters, said: “Doctors have to deal with gender-confused children who have already gone through a social transition at school for years and, as a result, are very disturbed by the idea of going through puberty”. , which will develop their secondary sexual characteristics.’
Ms Foster, who spoke to Dame Hilary and her team, added: “If social transition in schools is stopped it will ease the pressure on clinics.”
A Government source said: “We are absolutely clear about the importance of biological sex, particularly in the context of safeguarding, and the role that parents must play in decisions about their children.”
Last month, the NHS announced an immediate ban on prescribing puberty blockers to under-18s unless they are part of a clinical trial, with ministers saying the “landmark decision” was in the “best interests.” ” of the kids.
It has been claimed to occur when primary school teachers are told to allow children to change gender behind their parents’ backs.
After the Cass interim review was published in 2022, the Tavistock transgender clinic announced it would close because it was deemed unsafe for children.
A survey of equality and trans policies in more than 600 schools in Devon and Cornwall showed that a large majority (73 and 62 per cent respectively) misrepresented equality laws.
It claimed a school trust recommended teachers help girls wear breast binders on school trips, while allowing pupils to sleep in dormitories in line with their “gender identity”.
The details, compiled by Protect and Teach and published in the Telegraph, relate to public schools.
Some of the school policies reportedly stated that children “as young as five” could show signs of gender dysphoria.
They also said that biological sex “is assigned at birth, depending on the baby’s appearance.”
One elementary school reportedly stated that sex was “a person’s understanding and experience of their own gender identity.”