No Justice Jackson - children can’t be relied on

“Colorado's clear aim is enforcement of a standard of care that is indisputably applicable to the State's licensed healthcare professionals”

Cass Report

• The rationale for early puberty suppression remains unclear, with weak evidence regarding the impact on gender dysphoria, mental or psychosocial health. The effect on cognitive and psychosexual development remains unknown.

• The use of masculinising/feminising hormones in those under the age of 18 also presents many unknowns, despite their longstanding use in the adult transgender population. The lack of long-term follow-up data on those commencing treatment at an earlier age means we have inadequate information about the range of outcomes for this group.

• Clinicians are unable to determine with any certainty which children and young people will go on to have an enduring trans identity.

• For the majority of young people, a medical pathway may not be the best way to manage their gender-related distress. For those young people for whom a medical pathway is clinically indicated, it is not enough to provide this without also addressing wider mental health and/or psychosocially challenging problems.