Mermaids: Transgender group for children now facing inquiry by Charity Commission

Mermaids has been the target of growing criticism for several years, and the Charity Commission for England and Wales began "a regulatory compliance case" against the group in September.

This has now been escalated to a "statutory inquiry" as of last Friday.

The investigation in September began as the Daily Telegraph ran a report into the charity's handing out of chest binders to girls as young as 13.

Chest-binders are designed to flatten breasts so the wearer looks more masculine.

The charity responded that providing a binder with safety instructions was better than people using other “unsafe practices”.

Though headquartered in Leeds, the organisation has a footprint in Northern Ireland too. It would not say how (or if) its NI operations will be affected.

The Charity Commission in England and Wales says the full-blown inquiry is “due to newly identified issues about the charity’s governance and management”.

It added: "The Commission will investigate the regulatory issues to determine whether they indicate serious systemic failing in the charity’s governance and management.

"The trustees have fully cooperated with the regulator’s case, but their response has not provided the necessary reassurance or satisfied the Commission at this stage."

The inquiry will examine its "leadership and culture," and whether there has been any "misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees".

In response, Mermaids said: "Earlier this year Mermaids decided to carry out a frank and honest appraisal of our internal culture and how we measure up in terms of equity, diversity and inclusion.

"As part of this process, we commissioned an independent external report which highlighted a number of significant challenges for us.

"We know we must do better and we are absolutely committed to doing so, and will be implementing the report’s recommendations as a priority."

It said that it has “an unwavering commitment to safeguarding which is, and always will be, our top priority”, and that it will “cooperate fully" with the inquiry.

Back in October, Tory MP Miriam Cates had told the House of Commons:

"Over the past week, serious safeguarding failures by the children’s charity Mermaids have come to light, with revelations that the charity sent breast-flattening devices to young girls behind their parents’ backs, promoted harmful medical and surgical procedures to children and hired a trustee with links to paedophile organisations and a digital engagement manager who posted pornographic images online, including of himself dressed as a schoolgirl".

She said that “for years, despite whistleblowers’ raising the alarm, Mermaids has had unfettered access to vulnerable children,” adding that "it has taken far too long for these concerns to be taken seriously".

More from this reporter:

1 > Alliance deputy leader tells MPs that society should accept transgender identities without question instead of being ‘narrow-minded’

2 > ‘Boys have periods too’ says SDLP MLA as he launches gender-neutral tampon bill