Article in MoS - child threatened to be taken into care after mother questions ‘immediate’ recommendation of hormones

[Bowlofbabelfish]

Article in today’s MoS about a child who was offered puberty blockers/hormones (it’s not entirely sure which from the article) after a single session of an hour with an NHS psychotherapist

This is chilling

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6425441/Mother-warned-daughter-taken-care-sex-change-row.html

I read that earlier. It's shocking.

If it’s true that they were told this after a single session that is a very big deal.

The NHS is supposed to be adhering to a much more conservative and slow standard.

I hope this is picked up and taken further, it’s extremely worrying.

I really hope this makes people sit up and take notice of what is going on.

This affirmative model that the folk have signed up too is incredibly dangerous.

The thing I keep seeing over and over is this claim that questioning whether transitioning is right for a particular child is 'conversion therapy'.
Actual conversion therapy is telling a bullied gay teenager that taking hormones will 'fix' their 'wrong' body.
It's incredibly homophobic.

I saw this earlier and agree it's chilling.
It is SUCH an abuse of the criticism of conversion therapy which is a vile practice and (as usual) has been coopted gleefully by the T to apply to them. But in terms of children, therapy and counselling which explores their thoughts and feelings is 100% appropriate. Only a misogynistic movement uncaring about the safety of children could misuse it in such a way.

Terrible. So frightening that things can move so quickly. What happened to watch and wait and to preventing homophobic bullying in school.

Conversion therapy is truly abhorrent and tends to be Evangelical public shaming/exorcisms. Therapy cannot change who you are sexually attracted to.

What needs to be emphasised is that what is being advocated for teens with gender dysphoria is a conservative watch and wait approach I.e. NOT conversion therapy.

Imagine if school realised your child had anorexia and identified as fat. Would they really be justified in not telling you? Or if they found out your child was pregnant? It’s chilling that your child could have their life wrecked by being affirmed and put into care because you have the wrong view.

It is really homophobic. How can schools and the NHS be doing this? Why are t they supporting girls and boys like this and telling them that theyvare fine as they are, not wrong for what they like or feel and not wrong for being gay.
If what the mother says is true and the NHS were talking about hormones/blockers after a single visit that is a huge breach of ethics. It really needs to be investigated and I hope the mum pushes that further. The NHS is supposed to adhere to the watch and wait and support model. To rush like that suggests a therapist with an agenda.

It is important to be aware of the toolkit for Social Care workers, fostercarers etc and who was involved in its production.
Just as prominant TRAs have advised / influenced education policies, teachers and schools etc, so too Social Care:

previous thread OP:
Jessica Eaton's comment:

'every week social workers approach me about traumatised kids after abuse and trauma suddenly identifying as trans and SW being told to just affirm it rather than working through the trauma'

Jessica's comments referenced by ThatDoctorEM along with her own work on thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3324391-Paedophile-expert-warns-of-transitioning-as-a-ploy

I have started a new thread in order to specifically focus on the possible serious consequences for vulnerable looked after children & statuatory corporate parenting responsibilities

See resources including video and leaflet for young people in care and toolkit 'Trans Youth in Care - a Toolkit for Caring Professionals'
www.lgbtyouthincare.com/trans-youth-in-care-resources/

www.lgbtyouthincare.com\www.lgbtyouthincare.com

These resources seem to have mostly been generated in Manchester supported by Tara Hewitt (TELI UCSM), Three cIrcles Fostering (Wilmslow), The Proud Trust (patrons incl prominant TRAs Stephen Whittle & Christine Burns)
www.theproudtrust.org/about-us/our-patrons/

With additional acknowledged support from Mermaids & GIRES.

The Toolkit (publ 2017) seems heavily based on Allsorts Toolkit but has additional content due to the focus being children in care.
aspects of Allsorts Toolkit have been questioned and there are then I believe additional questions to ask of some of the content of this publication

Chronology (from resource)
"In 2014 Jacob Sibley (director, Three Circles Fostering) and Andrew (the LGBT foundation) completed a consultation on the experiences of LGBT people in care. Their findings helped produce a resource
entitled 'Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Young People - Information for Foster Carers’. During May 2016 Three Circles Fostering met with some individuals who highlighted the need for more training and awareness specifically for care professionals in how to support and care for trans young people in care.
From this, Charlotte Andrew (NT&AS), Sage Aalto (Three Circles Fostering), Tara Hewitt (NHS Equalities lead) and Jacob Sibley
(Three Circles Fostering) completed a consultation with The Proud Trust Afternoon Tea group in September 2016 and with care leavers and individuals at the Sparkle event in Manchester July 2016.
A resource titled ‘trans youth in Foster Care- know your rights’ was produced which is hoped to be shared with all young people in care nationwide, this can be viewed at www.lgbtyouthincare.com.
F i n a l l y, a t o o l k i t t o i n f o r m c a r e professionals working with Trans young people, to ensure positive outcomes has been produced."
(links to additional resources directed at young people etc in thread)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3324578-Vunerabilities-of-Looked-After-Children-Social-Work-CP-restricted-by-affirmation-requirement-Trans-Youth-in-Care-Toolkit

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3385533-Prominant-campaigning-role-of-Tara-Hewitt-NHS-TELI-Social-work-universities-etc

This is the memorandum of understanding on conversion therapy brought in by Stonewall and signed by the NHS and just about everybody's professional bodies. The implication of it is that if the client presents as confident in their gender identity, then to question it in any way could be seen as tantamount to conversion therapy, which would be a potentially career-ending thing to be accused of.

I would get a lawyer for something like this. One who wants to make a name for themselves and test the law.

I hope that this story along with the Times articles today really open people's eyes to what is actually going on. My sister phoned me earlier today about the Times article knowing my views and it was as if the scales had suddenly fallen from her eyes - she is mortified.

I seem to remember Stephanie Davies-Arai (TransgenderTrend) saying at the LAWS Plymouth (?) meeting that the MofU would be reviewed this autumn.
That professionals would be able to comment on it.

I haven't seen any mention of this anywhere though.

apologies for vagueness but if it is being reviewed that would seem hopeful

It's appalling that a child, who comes out as a lesbian & is subsequently bullied for it, is then subjected to a treatment pathway that erases the fact she's lesbian & puts her on the road to life long medical treatment, surgery & likely infertility without pausing to think of the homophobia that pushed her to this point. It's outrageous that this sort of homophobia is condoned by the supposed safeguarding systems that should deal with the homophobic bullying & not push this child into this new type of gay/lesbian conversion therapy. I'd be livid in that mother's shoes.

If you are gay you will most likely be bullied as a kid. Has always been thus.

If you are trans/fluid/Christ only knows what then you are more off limits for the bullies and told that you are ‘brave’ and ‘stunning’.

Exactly - all the cash getting thrown at LGBT orgs & nothing in place to help/support a girl bullied because she's lesbian. Shameful.

It's appalling that a child, who comes out as a lesbian & is subsequently bullied for it, is then subjected to a treatment pathway that erases the fact she's lesbian & puts her on the road to life long medical treatment, surgery & likely infertility without pausing to think of the homophobia that pushed her to this point.

Dr Julia Long discusses this in her speech:
'Transgenderism & Lesbian Erasure'

Statement by 'Get the L Out' following their protest at Pride London this year:
(extract)
getthelout.wordpress.com/blog/

July 5, 2018
Angela C. Wild
Who We Are

Get the L Out is a group of lesbian and feminist individuals and organisations, opposing the increasingly anti-lesbian and misogynistic LGBT movement and the erasure of lesbians

Why We Protest

We believe that lesbian rights are under attack by the trans movement and we encourage lesbians everywhere to leave the LGBT and form their own independent movement, as well as to be vocal and take action against the proposed changes to the GRA.

Get the L Out believes trans politics (with uncritical support from the LGBT movement) does the following:

Promotes the social transition of lesbians, encouraging them to present as straight men thus favouring the pretence of heterosexuality over lesbianism – this is nothing more than a form of conversion therapy.
Promotes the medical transition of lesbians and pushes harmful drugs (untested hormone blockers, Lupron etc.) as well as unnecessary medical practices on perfectly healthy bodies – these are a form of misogynist medical abuse against lesbians.
Promotes the rights of heterosexual males who “identify” as women and lesbians (despite most of them still retaining their male genitals) over the rights of lesbians to choose their sexual partners. This new ‘queer’ LGBT politics thus coerces lesbians to accept the penis as a female organ and promotes heterosexual intercourse between male and female as a form of lesbian sex. This is simply a new facet to rape culture and compulsory heterosexuality." (continues)

“we oppose the transition of young lesbians on the basis that their appearances or behaviour does not conform to socially accepted images of women. Having short hair and disliking pink is not a sign of having a male brain and does not mean one requires transition. The trans movement is a conservative movement which reinforces sexist sex stereotypes.” (cont.)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3301033-Get-the-L-Out-Statement-by-the-lesbian-protesters-at-Pride-London

It’s like when you hear about kids being groomed into gangs. They have have no love or structure at home and aren’t ‘good’ at school - but the gang offers them ‘family’ and something to belong to.