England Teachers To Inform Parents If Children Question Their Gender

Published: 2023-07-18
Views: 717
Author: Editorial
Published in: News

New guidance for schools in England will require teachers to inform parents if their child is questioning their gender, even if the child objects.

According to the Equalities Minister, Kemi Badenoch, the guidance, set to be published soon, aims to ensure that parents are aware of what is happening with their children at school.

Under the proposed plans, headteachers will be instructed to consult with parents whenever a child wishes to be called by a different name or wear a different uniform. It has also been suggested that schools should not use the child's preferred pronouns related to their gender identity until parental consent is given.

Reports indicate that the guidance advises teachers to encourage students who want to self-identify as a different gender to undergo a period of reflection.

During an interview on BBC, Badenoch explained the purpose of the guidance, stating, "We are producing guidance for schools to know how to deal with children who are experiencing gender distress."

When confronted with the possibility that transgender students might feel that teachers are disclosing their gender identity to their parents against their wishes, Badenoch emphasized the significance of parental awareness, stating, "The fact is that this is not a trivial thing; this is very different from sexual orientation, and what is right is that parents know what is going on with their children at school."

In recent years, schools have witnessed an increase in the number of children questioning their gender, leading to calls from teachers for clearer guidance on how to support transgender students.

The NHS reported over 5,000 referrals to the gender identity development service run by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in 2021-22, compared to just under 250 referrals a decade ago.