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Original poster

Parents kept in the dark by teachers about their 16 year old daughter’s medical transition

138 replies

rogdmum · 25/06/2023 06:25

In this case the Head appears to have supported the parents’ wishes that their daughter’s social transition not be supported, but some teachers ignored this and even went further, keeping the daughter’s use of cross sex hormones secret:

“The couple found out how far their daughter had progressed with transitioning only after hiring lawyers to demand sight of school records. To their astonishment, the records showed some staff also knew their daughter was taking cross-sex hormones as a step towards making her body more masculine.

Subsequent disclosures showed she had also been using a chest binder to flatten her breasts, another troubling revelation the school had not shared.”

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c4af6f1c-1276-11ee-9673-09365d127a9f?shareToken=dcf6a82e739f6596fbb7897c6484f5a4

OP posts:
Goldencup · 25/06/2023 07:50

I would put money on the fact no one was prescribing blockers for a 15yo without parental consent. However even if they were, I think it could be argued that Gilkick competence was used. That would be very difficult to contest particularly if the child was suicidal. We just don't have the details- as I said lazy journalism.

saraclara · 25/06/2023 07:47

She's NOW 16. She wasn't when these things were happening. "Her story started a few years ago when..."

BettyFilous · 25/06/2023 07:46

Parents or guardians are still responsible for the child until 18.

Moonandstarzz · 25/06/2023 07:45

Schools should have no authority whatsoever. This is a huge safeguarding issue from the school. Do the parents have a case to sue?

Goldencup · 25/06/2023 07:35

BettyFilous · 25/06/2023 07:26

It’s all appalling but the CSH without parental knowledge is awful. Imagine your child needing urgent A&E admission, possibly unconscious. As a parent you are asked for medical history and current medications. CSH are not trivial, the treatment is experimental/off label so dose may be uncertain and length of treatment is relevant to complications. Would there even be a record in the child’s GP record if the CSH are being privately prescribed from an online service, possibly based outside the UK? This is so, so wrong on so many levels.

There is some shocking misconceptions on this thread. A sixteen year old does not need parental consent for any medical procedure or prescription, at all. In law they have bodily autonomy you will not be asked about medications any more than you would for a spouse or a close friend. It is up to them who they share the information with.

BettyFilous · 25/06/2023 07:26

It’s all appalling but the CSH without parental knowledge is awful. Imagine your child needing urgent A&E admission, possibly unconscious. As a parent you are asked for medical history and current medications. CSH are not trivial, the treatment is experimental/off label so dose may be uncertain and length of treatment is relevant to complications. Would there even be a record in the child’s GP record if the CSH are being privately prescribed from an online service, possibly based outside the UK? This is so, so wrong on so many levels.

Goldencup · 25/06/2023 07:23

Also from the article: Gillick competence refers to children under 16. This is a shoddy piece of lazy journalism.

Goldencup · 25/06/2023 07:21

rogdmum · 25/06/2023 07:17

Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous GPs in the U.K. who will prescribe cross sex hormones. Unfortunately there are also equally unscrupulous LGBT groups who know where to send these children.

At least once the lawyers got involved, the school were forced to disclose that they were aware that CSH had been prescribed.

Presumably you have evidence of this ? This is absolutely not my experience.

Original poster
rogdmum · 25/06/2023 07:17

Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous GPs in the U.K. who will prescribe cross sex hormones. Unfortunately there are also equally unscrupulous LGBT groups who know where to send these children.

At least once the lawyers got involved, the school were forced to disclose that they were aware that CSH had been prescribed.

OP posts:
Goldencup · 25/06/2023 07:14

PorcelinaV · 25/06/2023 06:33

So it seems guidelines are needed for social services as well as teachers.

A GP prescribed cross sex hormones to a 16 year old without a specialist service involved?

This is in the South East where I am. It all sounds sickeningly familiar. There are no specialist services, the Tavistock has been closed down. It will not have been the childs' regular GP who prescribed this, but an online service.

PorcelinaV · 25/06/2023 06:33

So it seems guidelines are needed for social services as well as teachers.

A GP prescribed cross sex hormones to a 16 year old without a specialist service involved?

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/06/2023 06:33

Nightmare. Thanks for the share token.

Goldencup · 25/06/2023 06:32

I wonder who was prescribing the blockers ? I bet it was gender GP, who was paying ?

At 16 this young person will have been presumed capacitous and was absolutely entitled to confidentiality regarding their medical treatment (whether that treatment was ethical is another question)