More than 250 children of primary school age are waiting for care at NHS gender clinics - with the youngest aged six or under

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 00:01, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 00:01, 22 June 2026 More than 250 children of primary school age are waiting for care at NHS gender clinics in England, according to new figures. Up to nine of these kids - who are said to be suffering from gender identity issues - are aged six or younger. Overall numbers on the national waiting list have fallen by a third in the past 12 months and the average waiting time for a first appointment is just under two years. There are three children's gender services in England, set up in the wake of the closure in 2024 of the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) which had been run by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. There were 4,079 children waiting to be seen at one of the three services at the end of March this year, according to Freedom of Information disclosures by NHS England. This is down 34 per cent from 6,225 children on the waiting list at the same point last year. The average waiting time for a first appointment is currently 102.6 weeks, down from 116 weeks at the end of March 2025 but still slightly above the average 100-week wait in 2024. The list includes patients from England and Wales because the latter does not have its own dedicated children's gender clinic. Cass Review - led by Dr Hilary Cass (pictured) - concluded children had been let down by a lack of research and evidence on medical interventions in gender care  Demonstrators, campaigners and parliamentarians gather outside the Department of Health and Social Care to protest against the planned clinical trial to assess the risks and benefits of puberty blockers in gender questioning children The data showed there were 260 youngsters on the national waiting list aged between seven and 11 years old. 'Fewer than ten' were aged six or younger, NHS England said, adding that it would not give an exact number as this could breach confidentiality because of people being potentially identifiable in smaller groups. Previous data showed that of those on the national waiting list at the end of March last year, 157 children were aged under ten. There is no minimum age requirement for gender care, and the NHS previously said they want to ensure parents of very young children are given support where necessary. The clinics do not prescribe puberty blockers, which have been banned on the NHS for the treatment of gender dysphoria since 2024. After the Cass Review concluded children had been let down by a lack of research and evidence on medical interventions in gender care, NHS England announced a new plan requiring new referrals into gender clinics to have been seen by a GP and mental health specialist or paediatrician first. The health service has been keen to move away from a 'medical model' in favour of a 'holistic' approach to children's gender care, which takes in consideration of any neurodevelopmental conditions including autism and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). The latest figures come as researchers undertaking a clinical trial into puberty blockers confirmed biological girls will have to be at least 11 years old to take part, while biological boys must be aged 12. The Cass Review recommended the trial after concluding that the quality of research claiming to show the benefits of puberty blockers for youngsters with gender dysphoria was 'poor'. The trial was launched in November but paused in February – before any children had been recruited – amid concerns from the medicines regulator about the 'unquantified risk of long-term biological harms'. While the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had recommended participants should be at least 14 years old, it confirmed on Friday that the new minimum ages of 11 and 12 had been agreed. The regulator said the lower age limit was part of 'strengthened safeguards' for a trial which 'aims to provide evidence on how the timing of treatment affects quality of life, mental health, physical development, cognitive function, and gender-related distress'. Researchers at King's College London (KCL) said they have agreed not to recruit any children to the trial until after August 1, amid ongoing legal proceedings. A campaign group and two individuals are seeking to take legal action against the Health Research Authority (HRA) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), claiming the ethical approval process for the trial 'contained serious flaws'. The claimants in the legal action are Bayswater Support Group, made up of parents and guardians of children and young adults who identify as trans or non-binary, psychotherapist James Esses, and Keira Bell, who began taking puberty blockers when she was 16 before 'detransitioning', and who has spoken of the long-term effects such treatments had on her. Meanwhile some politicians and public figures, including Harry Potter author JK Rowling, have expressed their opposition to the trial. She described it as 'an unethical experiment on children who can't give meaningful consent'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also said her party will try to ban the trial by seeking to amend the Health Bill that is currently passing through Parliament. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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