Schools 'not required' to inform parents if children question gender

Schools in England will not be required to inform parents if a child questions their gender, according to new safeguarding guidance published by the Department for Education.

The guidance, which comes into force in September, says if a pupil discloses concerns about their gender identity but does not ask the school to change how they are treated, staff should keep the conversation confidential unless there is a safeguarding risk.

However, where a child requests using a different name or changing pronouns, schools are expected to involve parents in most cases.

Ministers have strengthened the guidance to stress views of parents should carry "great weight" when decisions are made, although schools are also instructed to consider whether involving parents could place the child at risk.

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The revised guidance replaces separate proposals on supporting gender-questioning children, and follows a consultation that attracted criticism from campaigners on both sides of the debate.

While some respondents argued involving parents could effectively "out" children against their wishes, others said the draft guidance failed to recognise parents' rights to make decisions about their children's welfare.

Responding to the mixed reaction, the Government compromised by trusting schools to make careful decisions based on safeguarding considerations, while reinforcing the importance of parental involvement.

Ministers said they had strengthened the wording to make clear that parental involvement was paramount when schools consider requests assisting requests from children.

Schools are also instructed to assess requests on an individual basis, with particular caution advised in primary schools.

Additionally, existing cases where pupils have already socially transitioned at school must be reviewed before the start of the new academic year.

The guidance does not specify whether parents must be informed if those reviews find schools had previously adopted different names or pronouns without their knowledge.

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The guidance also includes measures on single-sex spaces and school sports, instructed to protect single-sex toilets, changing rooms and boarding accommodation - while, where possible, making alternative arrangements for pupils questioning their gender.

It also advises that pupils should not compete in sports designated for the opposite biological sex where safety considerations apply.

Maya Forstater, chief executive of the charity Sex Matters, described the guidance as "a step forward", welcoming provisions preventing schools from freely recording children as the opposite sex.

However, she expressed concern that schools would generally not be expected to inform parents if a child raised gender-related issues without requesting changes, arguing that such situations should always be treated as potential safeguarding matters.

She also criticised the guidance for continuing to allow schools, including primary schools, to approve children's requests without thorough vetting.

Baroness Cass, whose independent review of NHS gender services has shaped recent Government policy, welcomed the new guidance.

She said it reflected the recommendations of her review by providing schools with practical, evidence-based advice, and ensuring that children questioning their gender receive consistent, personalised support within a clear safeguarding framework.

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