Parents fight to stop sex-change treatment for minors

Parents have accused a trans-affirming clinic of defying the Cass Review by giving irreversible sex-change drugs to teens.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the parents of a 16-year-old boy (Child O) have asked the High Court to stop Brighton’s WellBN clinic from prescribing the hormones, which they allege are being given to their son without their consent.

PSHE Brighton also submitted concerns to the court about the clinic’s activities. The Cass Review found there was “remarkably weak” evidence for the experimental treatment.

‘Devastating effects’

WellBN’s Dr Sam Hall stands accused of acting “in a manner wholly inconsistent with the recommendations in the Cass Report and the current NHS guidelines and clinical commissioning policy”.

The parents have raised concerns over their son’s capacity to consent to the drugs, considering his history of poor mental health, and the severity of the “potentially life-long and irreversible” side effects, including “permanent infertility”.

They said it is “appalling” seeing their child being given these damaging drugs against their wishes. Another father, criticising the clinic for prescribing gender-affirming hormones, said it has had “devastating effects” on his family.

Vulnerable young people

PSHE Brighton warned about the “pipeline of vulnerable, traumatised, often autistic and same sex-attracted children in Brighton and Hove being fast tracked for irreversible sex change treatment”.

PSHE Brighton co-founder Rachel Cashman noted: “The pattern starts with the council’s Trans Toolkit and ends with a cross-sex hormone prescription from the WellBN on or around their 16th birthday. It is time to initiate an independent inquiry into the policies and practices in schools, social work and the NHS in Brighton and Hove.”

The solicitor representing Child O’s father, Paul Conrathe of SinclairsLaw, called the situation “extraordinary and alarming”.

“My client has sought help from an array of statutory agencies who have either been unwilling or unable to protect his son. He has been left with no other option than to take legal proceedings to protect his son and other vulnerable young people from this scandalous treatment.”