Educational Psychologists support the Cass review of gender identity services for children and young people (2024) and its recommendations
By Genspect
At Genspect, we are proud to help promote discussion and healthy debate about sex and gender in different spheres. One of these spheres has been the educational psychology profession. We have published thoughtful articles addressed to educational psychologists:
Where are the Educational Psychologists When Children Say They’re Transgender?
We are delighted to publish this letter and it is our hope that it will stimulate fruitful discussions within the educational psychology profession.
Letter: Educational Psychologists support the Cass review of gender identity services for children and young people (2024) and its recommendations
Date: 29.07.2024
For the attention of:
- The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education & Minister for Women and Equalities.
Purpose of the Letter:
The undersigned educational psychologists wish to make it known to The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education & Minister for Women and Equalities that we welcome the Cass review of gender identity services and its recommendations.
The Cass review of gender identity services for children and young people was released in April 2024 (Cass, 2024). The review and its recommendations have already been welcomed by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the Association of Clinical Psychologists (ACP) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP), with NHS England and Scottish Government responding with changes to their approach to helping children and young people with gender-related concerns.
We believe the Cass review to be essential reading for all educational psychologists (EPs) who may be increasingly involved with casework related to gender distress or transgender-identification, especially given the exponential rise in referrals to gender identity services since 2014 (Cass, 2024).
The Cass review shines a light on the failure of gender care for children and young people and highlights how some psychologists and medical professionals felt unable to openly voice their concerns about the care offered or pathways being activated for often highly vulnerable and complex young people. Related to this, the Cass review also references how some professionals failed to utilise their clinical and professional skills to understand the needs of children and young people and provide appropriate support.
We believe that The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education & Minister for Women and Equalities welcoming the findings of the Cass review will give educational psychologists the confidence to do for gender-questioning children what we have always done well: show empathy and compassion whilst thinking holistically about the complexity and interaction of needs for each individual child and young person. This way of working enables us to make informed and reasoned decisions about the most ethical and effective approaches to help them.
Signed,
*Please sign below if you agree with this letter*
Dr Peter D’Lima, Educational and Child Psychologist
Dr Claire McGuiggan, Educational and Child Psychologist
Lucy Robertson, Principal Educational and Child Psychologist
Susan Morris, Educational and Child Psychologist and previous Educational Psychology Doctorate course director
Jill Copley, Senior Educational and Child Psychologist
Dr Joseph Humphreys, Educational and Child Psychologist
Laurence Campbell, Educational and Child Psychologist
Dr Tom Clements, Educational and Child Psychologist
Dr Denise Burford, Senior Educational and Child Psychologist
Shona Cameron, Educational Psychologist
Michael Davies, Independent Consultant Educational and Neuropsychologist
Dr Linsey O’Shaughnessy, Doctor of Applied Educational Psychology
Dr Lee Robinson, Educational Psychologist, Senior Practitioner
Dr Gemma Ellis, Senior Educational Psychologist
Karen Scott, Educational Psychologist (retired)
Dr David Buck, Independent Educational Psychologist
Dr Sophie Winter, Educational and Child Psychologist
Michael Keane, Educational and Child Psychologist
Rachel Caldwell, Principal Educational Psychologist
Dr Huw Williams, Educational and Child Psychologist and previous Educational Psychology doctorate tutor
Julia Richards, Educational Psychologist
Dr Samantha Smith, Educational and Child Psychologist
Rachael Burton, Educational and Child Psychologist
Elaine Hack, Educational Psychologist
Carolyn Brown, retired Deputy Principal Educational Psychologist
Dr Frances Lee, Associate Director Educational Psychology & Wellbeing
Dr Susan Ackerley, Senior Educational Psychologist
William Allison, Educational Psychologist
Michael Lock, Registered Educational and Occupational Psychologist
Karen Bailey, Educational Psychologist
Dr Dee Henderson, Consultant Psychologist
Liam Vanden Brink, Educational Psychologist
Dr Jo Lyons, Educational Psychologist
Dr Emma Gore Langton, Educational Psychologist
Dr Carmel Rodgers, Associate Fellow/Chartered Psychologist
Dr Harriet Martin, former Principal Educational Psychologist and Chair of the National Association of Principal Educational Psychologists
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