Statement on the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) draft guidance regarding ‘gender questioning children’

Following the opening of the public consultation on the proposed revisions to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), which includes guidance on ‘gender questioning children’, Just Like Us released the following statement.

Laura Mackay, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, said:

“Trans young people are children who, like every other young person, deserve to be respected, valued and safe to be themselves at school. It’s incredibly important to safeguard all children, including those who are LGBT+ or exploring their gender identity, but we are concerned that the Keeping Children Safe in Education draft statutory guidance risks isolating children who are some of the most vulnerable.

“Being trans, non-binary or ‘gender questioning’ is not a safeguarding concern, however this guidance presents gender diverse young people as a threat or a problem to be solved. LGBT+ and questioning young people may be at risk for bullying or discrimination, but questioning or exploring their identities is not an inherent risk to themselves or others.

“The draft guidance rightly encourages schools to listen to the thoughts and feelings of trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people, and promotes the involvement of parents and carers where it is necessary and safe. However, we have concerns that sections of the guidance are unclear, impractical and could put young people at risk. In an ideal world, all parents and carers would be supportive of their LGBT+ children, but we do not live in an ideal world. Our independent research has shown that one in five trans and non-binary young adults say they are not close to their immediate family, and schools and teachers need specific, practical guidance on how to navigate risk when involving parents and carers when a young person chooses to socially transition.

“It has been more than a year since the publication of the draft guidance on ‘Gender Questioning Children’, and the incredible schools and teachers we work with have been left in limbo. We are disappointed that we must await the conclusion of another consultation, when we know that simply listening to trans and gender diverse young people could give the government the answers they need.

“The consultation on this draft statutory guidance needs to prioritise voices and experiences, and Just Like Us will be providing a thorough, evidence-based response that highlights what life is like for the young people we work with on a daily basis. We encourage parents, carers, teaching unions and school communities who care about inclusion to do the same and respond to the consultation.”

How to respond to the public consultation

Click here to go to the Department for Education website to give your views on the proposed changes to the Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) statutory guidance, including the draft guidance on ‘gender questioning children’.

On this page, you can view the draft guidance and the consultation document, which includes all of the questions you will be asked. Click “Share your views” to begin your consultation response.

The deadline for responses to the consultation is 22 April 2026.

What do trans young people say about the KCSIE draft guidance on ‘gender questioning children’?

Clara (she/her), a Just Like Us ambassador, said:

“At a time when the media establishment is all too willing to direct malicious and unending hostility towards trans people, we need our institutions to push back. Instead, this guidance parrots harmful narratives and in many ways disregards the wellbeing of the young people they are meant to protect. It risks isolating vulnerable trans children, and takes as given the idea that trans children pose a threat to their peers, when if anything, the opposite is more likely to be true. Trans students deserve a comprehensive strategy for support to be themselves, inclusion in the spaces they belong, and for protection from the abuse they’re all too often subjected to. I would urge any allies to question these harmful narratives and assumptions for what they are. And I would encourage anybody with a stake in this issue to make these points heard in the consultation.”

Eri (they/them), a Just Like Us ambassador, said:

“As a trans teacher – who was not long ago a trans student – I know first-hand that trans individuals are already segregated in modern society. If this guidance passes as it is proposed, students of mine will be further alienated within the college environment. A simple request to use a preferred name will mean my colleagues and I will be forced to tell their parents – which may potentially put them in increased danger of transphobia, and in the event that they are not ready, exposes them to unneeded stress.

“Some students – like myself – have their schools and colleges as the only ‘third spaces’ away from their parents, and this guidance rips the autonomy of trans young people out of their hands and places it into the hands of the system. I am confident – both personally and professionally – that this guidance would result in reduced attendance of trans pupils in educational provision due to increased fear and anxiety, as a result of the negative stigma of being trans.”

Teddy (he/they), a Just Like Us ambassador, said:

“So many schools claim to pride themselves on inclusivity, but in many cases this does not extend to LGBT+ – especially trans – students. Speaking from experience, I forced myself to stay closeted in secondary school despite knowing who I was and having told my friends. At school, teachers outed my then partner as non-binary to their parents, and while they were supportive, it wasn’t a conversation they were ready to have. Coming out is hard for anybody, but especially hard for a trans student. By outing them to parents, you risk ostracising them from their family unit, forcing them to confront things they might not be ready to talk about yet, and might even open them up to abuse. A student’s wishes should come first and foremost.”

Rush (they/them), a Just Like Us ambassador, said:

“When parental involvement is prioritised without clear guidance on how to assess risk, some young people may be placed in unsafe situations. The draft does not seem to understand what “greater risk” actually looks like for a child who may be outed against their will. The guidance feels like it could make schools more cautious at the exact moment young people need them to be more courageous. It hints at a lack of understanding of the mental struggle and trauma associated with being closeted and transgender.

“I know what repression feels like, and I know how deeply it affects a young person’s mental health, confidence, and sense of safety. I would encourage others to respond to this consultation because young people deserve guidance shaped by evidence, compassion, and lived experience. I hope allies will support trans people by challenging misinformation and advocating for safer schools for every child.”