Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will include safeguarding children from sexual orientation and gender identity conversion therapy in the proposed Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.

Our statutory safeguarding guidance Keeping children safe in education (KSCIE) is already very clear that all school staff should be aware of indicators of any form of abuse and or neglect, and what they should do if they have any concerns about a child being abused. Child abuse under the name of so-called conversion therapy is no different.

KCSIE is under constant review and maintained to make sure it is reflective of abuse, harm, the law and government policy. We will consider updating KCSIE in line with any legislative changes following the Government Equalities Office consultation “to help the development of legislation for banning conversion therapy”. The consultation closes on 4 February.