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Original poster

My 14 year old daughter has been sharing school changing rooms, including swimming, with a male. The school never told me, or her. What would you do?

358 replies

SernieBanders · 07/02/2025 09:51

I believe this to be a failure of safeguarding and a risk to every female in the school.

I do not believe the school can give consent in any way, all children are under the age of 16, so they cannot either.

The school in question has adopted the Brighton Trans Inclusion Toolkit which actively encourages males and females to share spaces, including sleeping, without any supervision. They also have unisex toilets.

For the record, I believe all gender questioning children should be given full, dignified support for their schooling. However their needs do not supersede safeguarding and dignity of all female pupils.

What would you do? What legislation, guidance, rules would you quote to them? Straight to governors? The police? What?

OP posts:
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Original poster
SernieBanders · 07/02/2025 10:24

https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/node/776/trans-inclusion-schools-toolkit-2021

Take a look at 6.3

"Brighton & Hove recommends that in making an assessment, schools should consider the fact that for trans children accessing the changing room which corresponds to their gender identity can be extremely important. We would therefore encourage schools to enable this wherever possible."

Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit 2021

A guide to supporting trans children and young people in education settings.

https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/node/776/trans-inclusion-schools-toolkit-2021

OP posts:
Original poster
SernieBanders · 07/02/2025 10:22

The swimming pool is actually in the school itself (it's a regular school, they are just on a campus with several other schools and it's shared, they're very lucky to have it, so it has no separate safeguarding statement)

OP posts:
caramac04 · 07/02/2025 10:22

No advice, hadn’t heard of Brighton Tit.
Not only do I think that this protocol is unfair, underhand and potentially dangerous/damaging/upsetting for students but also it is a failure for transgender pupils
I hope you can get some information and support OP.
Perhaps we should all request information from our local authority on their policies and challenge them where we feel a change should be made.

Snowmanscarf · 07/02/2025 10:11

Contact the school and explain your concerns. Have they got a safeguarding policy you can quote to them?

Also, contact the swimming centre and other venues where this has happened.

endofthelinefinally · 07/02/2025 10:03

Google:
Safe Schools Alliance.
Sex Matters.

They know the law and are very much on top of this.

Original poster
SernieBanders · 07/02/2025 10:01

Motnight · 07/02/2025 09:55

No advice Op but that is shocking.

It's happening in every secondary school in the country, just nobody told us.

OP posts:
Motnight · 07/02/2025 09:55

No advice Op but that is shocking.