Schools in England and Wales using ‘gender toolkit’ risk being sued by parents

It emphasises that schools “will want to involve parents and carers in discussions”, and recommends a “watch and wait” policy when a young person first comes out to a “trusted” teacher, not pushing them in any particular direction.

The Cass review said children and young people had been let down by a lack of research and “no good evidence” on the long-term outcomes of medical interventions to manage gender-related distress, in a debate that has become exceptionally toxic.

Barrister Karon Monaghan: ‘There is a worrying lack of appropriate guidance on safeguarding in the toolkit.’ Photograph: Dinendra Haria/ShutterstockBut while the findings of the Cass review were broadly welcomed by the main political parties, medical ­professionals and prominent transgender commentators, the debate over how to deal with children who wish to socially transition is more polarised.

The issue of how to deal with children who choose to socially transition does not involve any medical intervention, but relates to questions including whether a school should refer to a child using a different pronoun or name, what uniform they wear and access to single-sex or unisex toilets and changing facilities.

It states that there is “no general duty” on schools to follow pupils’ wishes to socially transition, including using different pronouns or names, and that parents must almost always be told if their child talks to a teacher about such things.

The National Association of Head Teachers union said: “We are particularly concerned that, as it is currently drafted, aspects of the guidance may leave schools at ‘high risk’ of successful legal challenges.”