'Prominant' campaigning role of Tara Hewitt: NHS, TELI, Social work, universities etc

[R0wantrees]

James Kirkup in yesterday's Spectator article wrote:
(extract)
"What explains the disproportionate number of girls (child ‘assigned female at birth’, to use the approved term) who are starting a journey that can lead to hormone treatment, then binding and ultimately removing their breasts? Is it possible that this is simply part of a wider crisis of mental health among girls?

I don’t know, and neither do the doctors and scientists who study this issue. If you talk to the clinicians at the Tavistock Clinic in London, the NHS centre for the treatment of gender-variant children, they’ll tell you that all the factors I mentioned may be at work, but the evidence base is still incomplete, that they need more time and data before offering explanations. (They’ll also tell you that quite a lot of the children referred to them as ‘transgender’ will in time ‘desist’ and decide to live in their original gender.)

The government now intends to commission research into all this. You might think that sounds sensible and mundane. You would be wrong.

According to Tara Hewitt, founder of the Trans Equality Legal Initiative (TELI), prominent campaigner for transgender rights and an adviser to numerous public bodies including the NHS, the proposed research is ‘absurd and offensive’. The project should be ‘dropped in the bin — it’s simply not an inquiry that needs to happen,’ Hewitt reckons.

This is the quintessential trans-rights response to scrutiny: even looking for facts about children’s welfare is transphobic. Just accept that trans girls are girls and trans women are women. End of debate.

If you haven’t heard that mantra ‘trans women are women’, you will soon, for it is the orthodoxy of the moment, a phrase even politicians are expected to repeat as proof of their embrace of trans-equality. And woe betide anyone who suggests that donning a dress and a new name doesn’t magically render a male body female. Biology is transphobic too."

Im aware that Tara Hewitt co-founded TELIUK and the NHS Trust she was working for at the time UHSM is associated with the group.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3374926-What-influence-does-TELI-have-on-government-public-services-and-charities-policies-Co-founders-include-Jess-Bradley-Tara-Hewitt-and-Michelle-Hudson

At UHSM Tara Hewitt ammended the same sex ward policy to include a new transgender policy (gender self-id)

Also that Tara Hewitt has recently been working with Salford University on their Diversity and Inclusion policies etc

Last weekend, Tara Hewitt gave a keynote speech for social workers, foster carers and those involved wih adopting children at the The Adoption and Fostering Alliance (AFA) Scotland Health Group Conference (they wrote) :

"We are pleased to confirm that Tara Hewitt will be joining colleagues from Three Circles Fostering at this conference. They will be addressing issues of gender identity, about which many professionals feel ill-equipped when required to advise and support looked after young people and their carers.

Tara has provided input and support to staff from over 20 different NHS organisations covering Mental Health, CAMHs, Forensic Services, Acute Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups in relation to supporting trans service users and staff.

She has previously been invited as a guest lecturer on LGBT+ issues to social work students at Liverpool John Moore's University and Nursing Students at University of Salford.

Outside of her time spent as a Leadership & Inclusion consultant, Tara has worked for over 8 years as an Equality & Diversity Professional within the NHS. Tara specialises in bringing a creative edge to discussions around the complex topic of gender and health inequalities and helping professionals navigate solutions to challenges within an intersectional context, including young people in care."

Tara Hewitt & ThreeCircles created resources for children and young people in the care system & a toolkit for foster carers and social care professionals supporting them, These were promoted at the conference:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3324578-Vunerabilities-of-Looked-After-Children-Social-Work-CP-restricted-by-affirmation-requirement-Trans-Youth-in-Care-Toolkit

Tara Hewitt training for health care professionals:

Interview 2016
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/what-its-like-transgender-catholic-10810323

Where has JF been during this latest frenzy?

JF posted on twitter that poor health means they've stepped back from the front lines. Coincidentally at the time it all kicked off re JF's own alleged boasts about speaking to GG & YHA at the #We'reStilHere trans conference.

I'm sure the timing is entirely unintended. Completely.

From the 2017 CQC inspection of acute hospital trust

"We did not see a specific policy that set out the requirements
for same sex accommodation within the children’s ward areas.
We did not see any specific facilities available to allow older
children to be cared for by gender. Staff explained that they
tried to nurse male and female children and young people in
separate bays from eight years of age upwards."

Slightly off topic but rather worryingly
"However, staff within maternity and gynaecology services could
not articulate what was meant by Gillick competence and were unable to provide evidence of how they would ensure a patient
had the maturity to make a decision about their care and
treatment. The one exception was staff in the pregnancy
advisory service"

Earmuff: oi oi. We couldn't possibly comment.

Thanks Vocal. Seems like this entire project relies on fudge and ignorance.

Oh my
Tara has been busy.
uk.linkedin.com/in/tarahewitt
The linked in profile shows Tara Hewitt has been amazing since uni.

Trans people should be treated according to the gender they present as. Trans men should be treated on male wards, trans women on freelance wards. Adequate safeguards should always be in place in order to protect individuals privacy and dignity.

Interesting when they present as female and end up with say secondary cancer because they weren't diagnosed with prostate cancer originally because hey they're female!

Slightly off topic but rather worryingly
"However, staff within maternity and gynaecology services could
not articulate what was meant by Gillick competence and were unable to provide evidence of how they would ensure a patient
had the maturity to make a decision about their care and
treatment. The one exception was staff in the pregnancy
advisory service"

Trangender Policies in a number (not sure if this is across all) NHS Trusts:
UHSM
5.4.3.(vi) Gender variant children and young people should be accorded the same respect for their self-defined gender as are Trans adults, regardless of their genital sex. There is no segregation, as is often the case with children, there may be no requirement to treat a young gender variant person any differently from other children and young people. Where segregation is deemed necessary, then it should be in accordance with the dress, preferred name and/or stated gender identity of the child or young person. In some instances, parents or those with parental responsibility may have a view that is not consistent with the child’s view. If possible, the child’s preference should prevail even if the child is not Gillick
competent.

It's interesting to consider how a Catholic, once hopeful Conservative candidate like Tara Hewitt came to co-found TELI with a 'marxist', prison abolisionist such as Jess Bradley.

"And I can honestly say that the work that trans people do for each other means that, for me at least, the trans community is a beautiful place to be. Despite our differences, we have each others' backs"

Jess Bradley 'To My Trans Sisters'
edited by Charlie Craggs

I think Tara is quite influenced (mentored?) by Stephen Whittle / Press For Change.

AIR Caroline did embarrass herself somewhat with Tara. But I think she learned a lesson.

TreborSoftmint

Tara seems to have incredible influence though in NHS / Social Care.

Its difficult to reconcile with what seems to be the realities of Tara's capabilities etc.

I think Tara Hewitt is due to take up a new post with Salford NHS TRust.

How so?

Twitter comments

Yes I saw that too.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3387573-Greater-Manchester-Police-Pride-Network-supports-No-T-on-our-turf

Does Tara have links with the Greater Manchester Police?

Are there any evidentiary grounds to put up a challenge to the work Tara Hewitt and ask for a review?

Does Tara have links with the Greater Manchester Police

There are a lot of prominent TRAs associated with Greater Manchester.

Jess Bradley, Rob Noon (NUS TRans officers), Proud Trust (Christine Burns & Stephen Whittle press for Change) etc

Also previous thread:
OP RadicalFern wrote:
'Andy Burnham, Mayr of Greater Manchester, has hired an advisor, Carl Austin-Behan, to help him think of what to do about "the row" over All-Women shortlists. Austin-Behan's solution? Party members who campaign against trans women being fully accepted as women should no longer be allowed in the party.

Austin-Behan described opposition as "Utter rubbish; if people are trans women, then they are women.”'

www.buzzfeed.com/patrickstrudwick/people-who-oppose-trans-rights-have-no-place-in-labour-says?utm_term=.mdWBWxEelr&bftwuk#.mkdLwq18nP

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3329447-People-Who-Oppose-Trans-Rights-Have-No-Place-In-Labour-Says-The-First-LGBT-Mayoral-Adviser

Are there any evidentiary grounds to put up a challenge to the work Tara Hewitt and ask for a review

The issues with Allsorts Schools' toolkit would apply to the Toolkit for Social Workers

There's an early Diversity Document authored by TH for UHSM which uses the protected characteristics as the guide and drops 'sex' replacing it with gender.

It may be the case that since that point, UHSM Equality and Diversity stategies and recordings have failed to measure sex as a protected characteristic.

Quite a lot to take issue with in the training video for HCPs

Important thread and article detailing the lie that NHS wards were ever same-sex:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3396859-Weve-been-lied-to-about-Single-SEX-wards-since-2010

current thread, OP starcrossedseahorse wrote:
"Anyone listening to Nick Ferrari this morning? Tara Hewitt was on claiming that trans people are unable to access basic healthcare due to NHS staff being mean to them. Some spurious statistics were dragged out ( as usual) and Nick Ferrari mixed up gender and sex which made it difficult to follow if you are not clued up.

Dr Nic Williams was given less air time but did a good job focusing on the issues in hand and pointing out (again) the issues with reform to the GRA.

I have a really good feeling that Maria Miller is on the back foot and has been told to refocus the debate on to health matters and to kick the GRA reforms in to the long grass.

It feels like the start of it and for the first time in ages I feel hopeful."

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3467959-LBC-this-morning

Tara Hewitt's response re Greater Manchester Police apology and investigation for an officer's defending of the term 'terf'.

current thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3496353-Greater-Manchester-Police-claim-terf-is-not-a-slur