Asked by: Baroness Hunt of Bethnal Green (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the final Cass report will be published; and how recommendations from this report will be consolidated into the consultation on the Government’s Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children, published on 19 December 2023.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Cass Review is an independent review of NHS provision and is responsible for its own timetable. It is not directly considering practice in schools. The aim of the review is to ensure that children and young people who are questioning their gender identity or are experiencing gender dysphoria, and who need NHS support, receive a high standard of care that meets their needs and is safe, holistic and effective.
On 19 December 2023, the department published draft guidance for consultation. This consultation will run for twelve weeks and closes at 11:59pm on March 12 2024. The guidance applies to schools and colleges.
Once the consultation closes, the department will assess the responses before finalising the guidance for publication. Ministers and officials have engaged with the Cass Review to understand the latest evidence and will continue to do so. This includes reflecting any relevant evidence and conclusions from the final report in the guidance should the timetable allow to do so.