Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that parents of children who want to change gender are consulted as part of that decision-making process.

Making sure that young people and parents or carers can give informed consent is an important aspect of the work undertaken when young people request a physical intervention for gender dysphoria. NHS England has published a service specification ‘NHS Standard Contract for Gender Identity Development Service For Children And Adolescents’ which refers throughout to the input of parents/carers and families. A copy of this service specification has been attached.

For young people of 16 and under, consent to treatment should usually be sought from the child and from one or both parents, except under exceptional circumstances. For adolescents over 16, if it is concluded that they have sufficient understanding of what is to be offered (this is known as ‘Gillick’ or ‘Fraser’ competence), they may give their own consent to treatment, although under most circumstances, it is good practice to seek parental assent too. However, each assessment is tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of the young person and their family.