{"id":56505,"date":"2025-04-28T04:17:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T04:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/56505\/"},"modified":"2025-04-28T04:17:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T04:17:11","slug":"the-nhs-will-now-test-all-trans-children-for-autism-and-evaluate-their-mental-health-uk-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/56505\/","title":{"rendered":"The NHS will now test all ‘trans’ children for autism and evaluate their mental health | UK | News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NHS<\/a> will reportedly test all children who identify as transgender<\/a> for autism. According to the Telegraph<\/a>, every child referred to a gender clinic will be \u201cscreened for neurodevelopmental conditions\u201d such as autism and ADHD.<\/p>\n

The approach is part of new guidance to be published for public consultation \u201cimminently\u201d before it is rolled out later this year. It will be used by established children\u2019s gender clinics in London and Manchester, and will mark a move away from the \u201cmedical model\u201d implemented by the controversial Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service in favour of a \u201cholistic\u201d approach.<\/p>\n

The guidance says: \u201cGiven the high prevalence of neurodiversity identified within this population, all those attending the NHS Children and Young People\u2019s Gender Service should receive screening for neurodevelopmental conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

It comes a week after the UK Supreme Court ruled that the definition of \u201csex\u201d referred to \u201cbiological sex\u201d rather than acquired gender, in a decision seen as a loss for trans rights groups. A review into gender identity services for young people by paediatrician Baroness Cass found these mental health conditions were disproportionately common among children and young people with gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n

Hilary Cass, a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, published her final report on April 10 2024. It was endorsed by the Conservative and Labour parties, though LGBT+ Labour criticised it, as have LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in the UK and overseas.<\/p>\n

Baroness Cass\u2019s review has already led to a national ban on prescribing puberty blockers to those experiencing gender dysphoria who are under 18, while the Tavistock facility was closed in March last year and replaced with new services.<\/p>\n

As part of the new guidance, medical professionals will also evaluate the mental health, family relationships and sexual development of children presenting with gender dysphoria. This will include whether they are experiencing same-sex attraction.<\/p>\n

A new NHS Children and Young People\u2019s Gender Service will be tasked with judging eight key areas of a child\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

After screening for autism and learning difficulties, they will be able to decide whether further \u201ccognitive assessments\u201d are necessary.<\/p>\n

A \u201cmultidisciplinary team\u201d, including a consultant specialising in neurodevelopmental disorders, will create a treatment plan for each individual tailored to their diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Doctors will determine whether a child\u2019s symptoms are caused by autism or whether treatment is required for gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n

Children could also be reviewed every six months while getting help for their autism.<\/p>\n

One key area in the decision-making process is termed \u201cfamily context\u201d, with doctors tasked with surveying children\u2019s upbringing and relationships.<\/p>\n

Another key section, called \u201csexual development, knowledge and sexual orientation\u201d, says \u201cclinicians should seek to understand the child\/young person\u2019s emerging sexuality and sexual orientation\u201d.<\/p>\n

It advises medics to consider whether the child was previously exposed to \u201cadversity and trauma\u201d, as well as their physical health needs, long-term conditions, well-being, school relationships and educational attainment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The NHS will reportedly test all children who identify as transgender for autism. According to the Telegraph, every…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":56506,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[5763,12,211,11508,29831,24247,19957,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-56505","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uk","8":"category-united-kingdom","9":"tag-lgbtq","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-nhs","12":"tag-politics-section","13":"tag-trans-healthcare","14":"tag-trans-rights","15":"tag-transgender-community","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114413662757367313","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56505"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56505\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}