Children's commissioner report criticsed over comments about puberty blockers and 'gender affirming care'

Stephanie Davies-Aria, leader of the group Transgender Trend said that embarking down a path of medical intervention to switch gender is "not in children’s best interests or in keeping with a normal understanding of children’s rights”.

She was reacting to a new NICCY report entitled ‘A System at a Crossroads’, which looked at mental health services for children.

The report said: “Delays in accessing gender-affirming healthcare, particularly in attending an initial appointment and commencing a medical pathway such as medication, including puberty blockers, have been identified as a factor in the mental health distresses experienced by transgender and non-binary young people.”

Northern Ireland, along with the rest of the UK, agreed to phase out the use of puberty blockers from late 2024 amid concerns that there is not enough evidence that they have positive results (however, a trial is soon to begin involving hundreds of children from Great Britain).

Ms Davies-Arai said: "The NI children’s commissioner should know that the cohort of children who are distressed about gender-related issues are largely from the most vulnerable groups – children with mental health problems or background trauma, those on the autism spectrum or in the care system or those struggling with emerging sexual orientation.

"The last thing they need is ‘gender affirming’ blockers and hormones.

"As the Cass Review recommended, they need holistic, psychotherapeutic care.…

"Children have the right to grow into adulthood with fertility and sexual function intact.

"Once on a medical pathway, that right is compromised or taken away completely, with no chance of reversal.

"Hormone treatments do not address underlying issues and are not a ‘cure’ for psychological distress, they simply create lifelong medical patients.”

Last year, in response to plans to quash the Education Authority’s current trans guidance for schools, children’s commissioner Chris Quinn issued a statement referring to “transgender children”.

He said: “The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child remains deeply concerned about the persistent discrimination of children belonging to minority groups, such as transgender and intersex children, in the UK, including Northern Ireland.

“Any decisions regarding systems of gender recognition for children are taken in close consultation with transgender children and in line with children’s rights, including the right to be heard and the right to identity, as recommended by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.”