GIRES

[purpleboy]

Hi, can anyone help with further info on this organisation?
I've just found out our school is using them as a guide for Trans inclusion.
After going through their website there are a few inconsistencies ie: education for school states child must use toilet/changing room for their new gender, but on the page for further education it's a bit more nuanced and says offering a 3rd space is helpful.

I looked at the material for teaching 3-6 yo and am absolutely horrified at the material, but the toolkit for 7-11 yo looked ok as that was about a transitioning parent.
Will see if I can link.

www.gires.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Penguin-story-trans-girl-lesson-slides.pptx

www.gires.org.uk/classroom-lesson-plans/

www.gires.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Transition-of-Pupil-in-School.pdf

I'm going to write to the school to request a meeting regarding this, so if anyone has any more info they could share it would be much appreciated.

Forgot to add, it does say name changes etc.. should be done with parental permission.

lilymaynard.com/when-is-a-girl-not-a-girl/

There is a bit about them about half-way down this blog.

GIRES have been in this for a very long time. It was set up by two physio therapists with a trans child. They have been very influential in govt. committees and the NHS amongst other things.

The GIRES penguins educational material, where a young penguin gets a party and a cake for "coming out" are infamous.

It might be worth doing a search on MN for more info.

Transgender Trend have info on school resources. There's only a little specifically about GIRES in this article but you might find it helpful.

www.transgendertrend.com/department-for-education-rse-guidance-schools/

Also, have a look at Safe Schools Alliance who have info on some schools materials.
safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/

I thought SSA might have something on GIRES in their schools resource pack, but they don't:

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Parents-Guide-to-external-PSHE-RSE-providers.pdf

I wonder if GIRES are using resources from another provider.

GIRES has an appalling online "training" course for educators and other adults working with children: "Supporting Gender Diverse Children and Young People"
I kept some screenshots from the course as I was so alarmed at their ignorance of safeguarding:
An exercise where primary child Maisie told the school nurse that "everyone thinks that I'm a girl but I'm a boy". The school nurse was told to ask Maisie what she wanted to be called . Not a mention of safeguarding, consultation with any other adults, parents or anything. Just affirm this aged 4 - 11 year old!
Secondary Maisie confides in her favourite teacher that she feels miserable because her body is changing and she knows she's not a girl.
The teacher is told to offer complete confidentiality and help - completely in defiance of basic safeguarding. After complaints they added in the equally inappropriate advice for the teacher to only refer if Maisie is "distressed or there is evidence of self harm". Again - complete ignorance of the limits of a teacher's authority, let alone the dangerous advice for an individual teacher to risk assess a vulnerable child's levels of distress / self harm.

They've now hidden the training pack. I do recall that after horrified complaints they amended some of this professionally dangerous crap and added in some more safeguarding advice - having already "trained" numerous adults with this dangerous stuff.

They self identify as appropriate trainers of educators but they're just another lobby group. They shouldn't be advising any school and the evidence above (taken from screenshots) suggests their advice is deeply flawed.

Thanks so much I'll have a look through all the links provided.

GIRES was set up by physios?

Didn't know that. Explains a thing or two,though

Take a look here for some intel:

www.gires.org.uk/about-us/gires-trustees/

GIRES have had funding from the Home Office.

I’ll DM you about some other stuff.