As reported by GB News, ahead of the Cass Review release, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasises the wellbeing risks in children’s gender identity changes, advocating for cautious approaches
He said that allowing them to change gender is “not a neutral act”, expressing concerns that allowing them to use different pronouns or change their name could cause psychological repercussions.
The Prime Minister’s remarks come a day before the publication of a landmark report into the issue.
The Cass Review into gender services for children, set to be published tomorrow, will examine the “important role for schools”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “We have talked about the importance of children and adolescent safety and wellbeing being paramount.
“That is part of previous work such as the NHS announcement to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers.
“It is behind our robust and clear guidance to schools. It is categorical that social transitioning is not a neutral act and no one should be forced to use preferred pronouns or accept contested beliefs as fact.”
The Cass Review, led by paediatrician Dame Hilary Cass, is expected to confirm a significant shift in the treatment offered to children and teenagers questioning their gender identity.
It is expected to say that children who want to change their sex should not be moved to adult clinics at the age of 17.
Cass is also expected to recommend that adolescents should keep the same support team as they move into adulthood, as the brain is still developing until age 25.
The review will confirm a move away from a medicalised approach, instead moving towards a more holistic treatment pathway that will consider questions of gender alongside other possible issues in the child’s life.
The interim report published by Cass, published in February 2022, led to the closure of the gender identity development service (Gids) for children and teens, provided by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London.
The paediatrician said the model was “not a safe or viable long-term option” and a “fundamentally different service model” was needed.
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