is this the end for Mermaids?

[redredreds]

Or will they rebrand and go about things a different way? Surely they've made
themselves surplus to requirements?

I note that according to world at one, "leading charities welcome the report."

The charity sector has dined out on this for years; they will find a way to make themselves relevant.

Let's hope so. Has anyone see Stonewall's response? More front than Brighton.

I'm particularly concerned about what is being said in Cass about younger children who are being described as trans.

I haven't been able to clarify what Cass means when she makes a distinction between teens (normal to explore and experiment) and children.

trans child = not possible

The CEO of Mermaids said they weren't medical experts and didn't advocate for medicalisation on TV earlier today.

With a straight face.

We've seen the Susie Green emails. That rebrand attempt to try and avoid potential legal liability isbt going unnoticed here.

Just saw it! Talk about reverse ferret. The TRAs must be furious.

What is important, above all, is that trans and gender-diverse children get the quality healthcare that they need and deserve. The Cass Review can play a vital role in achieving this aim, if its recommendations are implemented properly.

Shocking isn't it @SapphosRock. Absolutely no shame.

Although it's frustrating and anger inducing when reverse ferrets happen, but I think it's important to stay focussed on the desired outcome. If Mermaids and co start arguing for what is needed to help children who present with gender distress, then that's a good thing.

A mermaid is a mythological creature so it will reinvent a myth.

Yep, their current myth is that the Cass report backs up everything they and Stonewall ever said. Cass is all about shorter waiting lists and more kindness for trans children, dontcha know!🙄

Remember what the Mermaids CEO said yesterday - we are not medical experts and we don't push for medicalisation. With a straight face.

Except. (Extract from Today's Times)

In 2019, Mermaids promoted puberty blockers as “an internationally recognised safe, reversible healthcare option which have been recommended by medical authorities in the UK and internationally for decades”. Such claims have since been discredited.

Mermaids defended the continued use of puberty blockers, despite the recent ban by NHS England due to lack of evidence over their safety.

In a statement, it said: “Mermaids exists to support trans children and young people and their families, many of whom tell us that puberty blockers have been an important part of their journey. Multiple studies have shown the positive benefits of blockers, which have been used safely for decades and continue to be available to cisgender children and young people.”

If they aren't medical experts and they don't push for medicalisation, why were they saying this just a couple of weeks ago contrary to the new NHS advice?

This continues to be an issue Post Susie Green. It hasn't stopped.

I actually don’t disagree with them. We need a functioning and funded CAMHS to make sure that appropriate and balanced intervention is made in a timely and effective way. Whether this is related to gender or any other challenge impacting children and young people. If that is implemented properly we all win.

Andrew Doyle last night was talking about Glinner and that he was right about Mermaids all along. I haven't read the full report but there might be something about Mermaids telling children to ignore their mental health issues when demanding pb's and cross sex hormones from health professionals.

Anyone know anything more? The Genie really is out of the bottle now if that's the case.

How are the Harry Potter trio feeling now?

💐

Very much - I work for CAMHS and our service has needed to close our neurodevelopmental pathway for new referrals, as demand far outweighs any possibility of completing assessments - up to 3-year waiting lists for ASD/ADHD assessments

‘Financial recovery’ measures have also meant that we have lost all agency staff & do not have enough clinicians to manage the risks or meet the needs of all the children we see - it is a mess

Jesus DSDaisy that really jumped out at me, what does that mean in practice ‘close the pathway to new referrals?
Where do those families seeking assessment now go? What are they being told? What CAMHS or other support is available in the meantime for them? What alarm bells are being rung in the wider NHS system about this? And in terms of lobbying for increased funding are your local MPs aware that CAMHS has had to do this and what it means?

I’m really worried how CAMHS and the NHS is being starved to death of funding.

The HP actors - absolutely fine and dandy in their ivory towers.

JKR said, yesterday, that she's in no mood for forgiving or forgetting any of them.

No they have already reverse ferreted several times and their response to Cass is no different.
Unfortunately there will be enough useful idiots to keep helping them (including Children In Need) and they will keep going.

I saw an interview with the new CEO on Sky yesterday where she repeatedly bare face lied about Mermaids never giving medical advice or advocating for medical interventions.

The problem with the treatment of children wasn't with mermaids, it was the fact that the service allowed mermaids to dictate so much of the policy.

Mermaids could fold tomorrow, but the people behind it still exist, and until the service protect themselves against getting influenced by campaign groups, its going to happen over again.

What exposed them more than many services was their fault - they didnt have a clear way to diagnose the condition or tested treatments. Basically, if a child said they were trans, or listed the well known criteria, and then demanded drugs, the service couldn't say 'that wouldn't work for you' because they didnt know.

Mermaids gained a lot of respectability, but that shouldnt have made a difference to professionals treating children.

I don't understand how Susie Green has not been arrested for what she did to her child. Why is FGM illegal but boys not offered the same protection?

I would like Mermaids to continue, but change so much that they are an actually useful organisation for parents with children struggling with their gender identity.

When I read some of the parents on here who have been utterly let down left right and centre once their children identified as trans I feel not only has Mermaids been harmful to children but has failed parents who need a support group desperately. (I know other orgs have set up since but Mermaids should have done their job in the first place, instead of pushing the affirmation only route).

Im not at all confident this will ever happen though.

We've seen the video of Susie giggling about her child's penis being too small to be inverted into a 'vagina'.

She doesn't support the medicalisation of children? She flew him to Thailand to be castrated on his 16th birthday for God's sake.

She had him castrated outside the UKs jurisdiction though? I'm not sure of the law. But agree , nobody who hasn't reached adulthood - not even stopped growing - should be operated on like this , except in a genuine medical emergency.

Mermaids will rebrand as a child’s mental health support charity, like all the others have done.

Very little investment required beyond a few funding submissions and a web site update. This area is infested with unqualified, unregulated and unmonitored adults already filling in the vacuum left by the NHS.

Follow the money as Mr Menno says.