Referrals of gender questioning children

​Request 725382128

My question refers to referrals of gender questioning children of 18 years or under.

1) Has any referral ever been made (historically) to any facility outside the island for any medical or surgical intervention on children under 18 years old? Puberty blockers/gender affirming drugs/surgery etc

2) If so, have any been made since 2021?

3) Do we currently have a pathway whereby any person under 18 years of age might be able to be referred for such treatments?

4) If the answer to the above is 'yes', could/would we facilitate such an intervention? How would this be monitored?

5) Is it possible for our CAMHS or other SOJ employed medics/psychiatrists/clinicians to refer any children (under 18 years) if the parents are asking and have private medical or are willing to pay privately, or is this impossible under Jersey law?

Response

1. Yes

2. No

3. Yes. Following an assessment by CAMHS, there would be a submission to the new referral pathway for children and young people’s gender services which is managed by NHS England.

4. The NHS England children and young people’s gender service would discuss medical or surgical options following their specialist assessments. If a referral was made to this service, CAMHS would remain involved to support and monitor.

5. If parents have private medical cover, they may be more likely to take private consultant input from the start. The Young Person would also need to be involved in these decisions. There are local and UK based private psychiatrists and UK specialist services available if young people and parents opted for this route. The service pathway for gender service referrals from CAMHS is to the NHS England children and young people’s gender service.​