Exposé: ‘Pro-trans policies failing gender-confused kids in care’

Many gender-confused children in care are being allowed to transition by their state guardians, a new report has warned.

Policy Exchange argued that the care system “has become captured by Gender Ideology”, leading councils to adopt a trans-affirming approach with vulnerable children for whom they have ‘parental responsibility’.

The findings of ‘In Absentia Parentis’ are based upon 128 replies to the think tank’s Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all 129 county councils, unitary authorities, and London boroughs with care responsibilities.

Mermaids

The report’s co-authors, Lara Brown and Zachary Marsh, found that 81 out of 128 local authorities “could not provide a policy on how to support a child in care reporting gender distress”.

Eight councils admitted they “would consult no one before allowing a child to socially transition”, while 27 councils “were unable to name a person or office they would consult before permitting social transition”.

According to the FOI replies, “17 local authorities reported that they had been a member of a Stonewall Scheme in the last 48 months. 12 councils were still members.”

A dozen councils “had commissioned training from activist organisations”, involving controversial pro-trans groups — such as Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence — and some, the authors warned, “are outsourcing the development of guidance to activist groups”.

Preferred Pronouns

Oxfordshire County Council’s policy, produced by LGBTQ+ Youth in Care, stated: “Every child has the right to an identity.” The policy also advocated “using the correct pronouns” and “affirming” gender-confused children in their perceived ‘gender identity’.

When Warrington Borough Council was asked who it would consult “before allowing a Looked After Child to socially transition”, it  responded: “We would not consult with anyone if a child wanted to ‘identify’ as a different gender to their sex. This would be a personal choice of the child.”

North Tyneside County Council told Policy Exchange that a child “in our care can choose to socially transition when they wish”, but said it “would encourage the child to speak to people who are important to them in making their decision”.

The authors reported: “Oxfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Clackmannanshire and Surrey told us that Mermaids had provided them with training on gender identity, sex, and sexuality, and transition in the last 48 months.”

‘Wake-up call’

Former Government advisor Nimco Ali OBE noted in the report’s Foreword that “in too many cases” the system meant to safeguard some of the most vulnerable in society has been “infiltrated by individuals and organisations projecting their own ideological views about gender and identity onto children”.

She added: “This report should be a wake-up call. It exposes unacceptable gaps in policy and practice and makes it clear that we must urgently reform the way we safeguard gender questioning children in care.

“They deserve a system that is vigilant, rigorous, and free from ideology, a system that prioritises their welfare above all else.”

Endorsing the report’s findings, Former HM Chief Inspector of Education Baroness Spielman said there seems to be “instant unquestioning affirmation of gender identities” and “transition looks and feels to many to be a kind and responsive model of practice”.

Recommendations

Brown and Marsh said: “The publication of The Cass Review has seen significant progress in the safeguarding of gender questioning children in schools and healthcare settings.”

They argued that as the care system appears to have remained untouched by such developments, the Government should “publish statutory guidance for local authorities on supporting gender questioning children in the care of the authority”.

The authors also called on councils to “commit to keeping certain activities and facilities single sex”, not to “subscribe to diversity membership schemes”, and only commission training from groups “compliant” with the Cass Review and the Supreme Court’s ruling on biological sex.