Rishi Sunak claims letting gender-questioning children change their pronouns or dress as the opposite sex could harm their wellbeing.
The Prime Minister warned that so-called ‘social transitioning’ is ‘not a neutral act’.
Social transitioning refers to when someone changes how they present or express themselves, such as through using different bathrooms.
Mr Sunak’s comments came ahead of a landmark report into care for trans children in England is due to be released.
The highly-anticipated Cass Review, penned by leading paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass, is expected to recommend that gender-questioning youth shouldn’t be locked into radical medical treatment.
The Prime Minister warned that so-called ‘social transitioning’, where society treats a gender questioning child like the gender they identify as rather than their biological sex is ‘not a neutral act’. Pictured Rishi Sunak visiting a nursery earlier this month
The Tavistock Centre closed a couple of weeks ago after it was found not to be ‘a safe or viable long-term option’
MailOnline understands the report will instead advocate that children have a holistic mental health support package.
Such an approach would, it is understood, put greater emphasis on family dynamics at home and whether the children have other issues that need tackling.
Mr Sunak’s official spokesperson indicated the Prime Minister supported the report’s approach.
They said: ‘We have talked about the importance of children and adolescent safety and wellbeing being paramount.
‘That is part of previous work such as the NHS announcement to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers.
‘It is behind our robust and clear guidance to schools, it is categorical that social transitioning is not a neutral act and no one should be forced to use preferred pronouns or accept contested beliefs as fact.’
Dr Hilary Cass, who was commissioned by NHS England to report on its Gender Identity Development Services (Gids), is due to publish her final report tomorrow.
Her interim report, which was published in 2022, criticised the country’s only child transgender service, at the Tavistock Clinic in London, as ‘not a safe or viable long-term option’, which eventually led to its closure.
It also led to NHS England announcing a ban on GPs prescribing puberty blockers, which pause physical changes in youngsters such as breast development and facial hair growth.
‘To date, there has been very limited research on the short-, medium- or longer-term impact of puberty blockers on neurocognitive development,’ Dr Cass wrote at the time.
She also added that the NHS hadn’t collected routine and consistent data of using the drugs ‘which means it is not possible to accurately track the outcomes and pathways that children and young people take through the service.’
Ahead of Dr Cass’s report, campaigners have also called for legal loopholes to be closed to prevent private clinics from being able to continue handing out the powerful hormones as well as NHS medics getting around the ban.
It comes amid a growing body of research about the potential dangers and irreversible changes puberty blockers could have on children.
Just last week US experts warned the drugs may wither testicles, cause infertility or cancer, in boys who take them.
And earlier this year a world-renowned expert found the drugs can harm children’s IQ.
University College London neuropsychologist Professor Sallie Baxendale’s alarming study highlighted cases where young girls seemingly lost between seven to 15 IQ points while taking the medications.
