Educational Psychologists recommending mixed sex changing and toilets in schools

[TangerineDreaming]

edpsy.org.uk/blog/2022/just-because-i-think-dwayne-johnson-is-fit-exploring-the-voices-of-young-people-who-identify-as-lgbtqia/

I've seen this blog today on the most mainstream blog site for educational Psychologists.

It recommends that educational Psychologists support using preferred pronouns whenever requested and recommend mixed sex toilets and changing facilities throughout schools..

There is no consideration of The Cass review, no caution around social transition, no reference to the evidence base for watchful waiting, no concern over the hugely rising numbers of trans identifying children or reflection on why this might be, and no mention of the association with autism, and mental health concerns,.

And most alarming no thought to the obvious safeguarding concerns for advising that girls (female teenagers) should share changing facilities with boys (male teenagers).

The advice contravenes the equality act and DfE guidance.

But this is the advice schools are getting from psychologists who go in and advise them. Schools believe they will be giving evidenced based, cautious advice and trust they should act on this.

But this advice seems to ignore all the complexity of this issue and instead has replaced professionalism with an activist position linked to 'lived experience/ trans voices',which equals: just do whatever they say.

They seem unaware of the recent position from the association of clinical psychologists urging a more cautious approach in line with the Cass review. There appears to be no position statement from the educational Psychologists association.

This advice is dangerous and unprofessional and another example of a professional organisation captured by ideology and letting this replace evidence based practice and safeguarding to the detriment of many children.

Fair enough.

As single occupancy unisex changing wasn't specified I was presuming just a change of labelling changing rooms.

So a vital point to consider if recommending unisex it must be single occupancy.

As otherwise schools could easily make the assumption I did that what is being recommended is just general unisex changing rooms.

In fact this is being presumed in some schools.

I could be optimistic but I thought it was perhaps worded so that nothing was removed. The only way I can see this calming down is if we pull out the "needs" from the "wants."

They need somewhere safe and comfortable to change.
They want validated or to get in with the girls.

The research on which this is based collected data from one, far too large, focus group in one school in one local authority area. With a 6 year age range among the participants (12-18).

An educational psychologist should be aware of the effects that peer pressure will have on the responses in a group of 16 people all of whom have to go to school together.

They should also have considered the ridiculous age range. That will have had profound effects on the dynamics within that group.

Concluding anything meaningful from that is doubtful. Generalising from it to produce advice for all schools is beyond ridiculous.

It’s like a very bad undergraduate dissertation.

And the sample of ‘a school I know with a very active group of pupils who I can be confident will answer the way I want them to’ is beyond ridiculous.

I would imagine even within that school, a very different picture would emerge if you talked to the kids who weren’t in the all the letters + society.

And how on earth do you put together a group in a school of 12 - 18 year olds to discuss sexuality, sex, relationships etc and manage age appropriate, safe discussions that don't veer into grooming / inappropriately influencing younger children? Unbelievably foolish of the school.

Having no valid methodology but calling this research and then claiming it's not advice but just reporting is such smoke and mirrors.

It's masquerading as actual research by professionals who know how to conduct research and who it will be presumed have knowledge of the topic, and the 'ways forward' will therefore be interpreted as advice.

And they know this, this is the intention.
The fact the advice fits their ideology is built into the 'research'.

If a professional group whose role it is to understand the psychology of identity development, group dynamics, social contagion, mental distress have nothing to say on this issue beyond: some kids in one school who already had a linked identity to a group view expressed the same opinions as the group they're currently identifying with, they'd be better off keeping out of it instead of this professional charade.

The research is absolutely dreadful. I'd be embarrassed to suggest this at GCSE level.

But also this: I am however surprised at the unquestioned assumption that it's good for a child's mental health to get everything they want. The suggestions are not to manage expectations or to advise children to reflect on the needs of others, at all.

It goes against all good parenting advice. Boundaries. Make sure children are aware that what they do impacts on others. Respect goes two ways.

It's really bad practice IMO for the 'trans' kids let alone the other kids. To raise expectations in a child that they can get whatever they want and others have to comply? They're going to have a nasty reality check when they enter the workplace and it seems unlikely with this expectation they would be able to hold down a job.

They're undermining good mental health.

Are you in touch with Safe Schools Alliance? They should definitely be made aware of this.

Quite.

Alongside the totally bizarre idea that supporting young people's denial of the biological reality of their body and assuring them they can demand the world will collude with this denial of reality, and supporting the idea that if anyone does not go along with this reality denial or indeed just has another opinion, their mental health is in jeopardy.

Promoting ideas such as this is contributing to the mental health crisis by the very professions looked to to alleviate it.

This is what makes psychologists, the very people who should be able to advise, who are supporting this ideology without a psychologically informed framework so dangerous for young people.

This is a real problem. As you say, the schools will trust them.

I can only think that universities are mass producing second rate psychologists who are easily captured and too lazy to research the evidence carefully if at all.

I am yet to come across any man or woman who likes mixed sexed toilets.

I have posted a comment under the article which hasn't been published.

I have not been informed why.

I linked to this thread as I believe psychologists need to be aware of the critical discussions occurring around this topic and get out of their bubble of self congratulatory activism.

Seems it's too scary to hear some genuine critique.

Now this makes me wonder what else psychologists are wrong about?

"Most clin psychs and ed psychs are uncritically onboard with the trans ideology and they're the ones now being looked to for advice to schools and parents."

As a practicing Ed psych of middle age, can I happily say that this is less the case than 5 years ago, as in many spheres. There's a bit of an age thing going on - new young EPs less critical and more gender doused than us older ones. Universities don't help and I know some do uncritical "training" of their trainees. However to imply that this minor blog is entirely representative of the profession's view is wrong. If you were on the EP message board you would know that there are many concerned voices in this realm.

In my team we are certainly aware of the Cass review and the government update to guidance. It's vital that we are as we cannot make recommendations that are not supported in law. My EP service knows that it cannot be a recommendation that a trans teen changes in the changing room of their preference. Third spaces and private changing are recommended. Though children aren't usually referred to EP "because" they are trans. There has to be another issue (usually autism or trauma).