Schools must tell parents if child is ‘transitioning’, government says
The government has instructed schools to tell parents if their child is transitioning. (Getty)
Schools in England must inform parents if their child is questioning their gender in the ‘vast majority’ of cases, the government has said.
Legally-binding guidance brought by the Department for Education (DfE) on Thursday (12 February) says it is “vital” that schools and colleges inform parents or guardians if students present signs of gender dysphoria.
It further instructs staff not to encourage students to “socially transition” and to take a “very careful approach” in using a transgender pupil’s name or pronouns.
Primary schools have been specifically instructed only to affirm a trans child’s gender identity ”very rarely”.
First drafted in 2023 under the conservative government, the guidance originally said primary-aged children “should not have different pronouns to their sex-based pronouns used about then”.
The newly updated draft carves out minor exceptions, but urges staff to exercise caution when affirming trans pupils.
Education secretary, Bridget Philipson claimed the guidance was “following the evidence”, saying that children’s safety is “not negotiable”. She did not clarify how affirming gender questioning pupils would impact their safety.
“This is about pragmatic support for teachers, reassurance for parents, and above all, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.”
Dr Hilary Cass, the author of the widely-controversial review into trans youth healthcare, backed the updated guidance, saying it “reflects the recommendations of my review”.
She further claimed that evidence on the “impact of social transition” remains limited, arguing that schools had a duty to “protect children”.
Campaigners heavily criticised the guidance’s provisions, arguing that its usage of anti-trans dogwhistles, such as the phrase “gender identity ideology” in its foreword, were indicative of its intention.
Activist Sophie Molly condemned its focus on preventing trans pupils from using single-sex spaces consistent with their gender identity, branding it “abuse.”
According to statistics from Crisis, at least 25 per cent of trans people have experienced homelessness at some point, with 77 per cent of young people saying “family rejection, abuse, or being asked to leave home” was the main cause.
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