KCSIE – Gender questioning children

The Department for Education has proposed a new section in Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), which focuses on issues that might arise when considering how best to support children who are questioning their gender, along with new sections on single-sex spaces and single-sex sports.

The sections are informed by the public consultation on the draft non-statutory Gender questioning children: guidance for schools and colleges. The government will not be publishing standalone guidance for schools and colleges on gender questioning children, but propose instead to include this content in KCSIE so that children’s wellbeing and safeguarding are considered in the round and  schools and colleges can easily access this information in one place.

By focusing on safeguarding considerations within KCSIE, their intention is to clarify the responsibilities of schools and colleges and put this on a statutory footing. This reflects the importance for schools and colleges of making careful decisions about what is in the best interests of children, including children who are questioning their gender. Schools and colleges have obligations to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their care and children who are questioning their gender are no exception.

This is especially important in the context of the recommendations of The Cass Review which published its final report after the above consultation had closed. The Cass Review acknowledged that it is important that school and college guidance reflects the principles and evidence from the review. These principles include the need for caution and clinical advice in relation to supporting social transition of pre-pubertal children and the involvement of parents in decision-making wherever possible. Both of these are especially significant in the context of safeguarding.