In 2014 I set up the website www.childprotectionresource.online which aimed to be a source of information and discussion for all those involved in the child protection system. I had been worried about the extent of ignorance about the system and the often disastrous consequences that had for parents caught up in it. With touching naivety, I thought that all we needed was some accessible explanations and all would be well.
Of course, it didn’t work like that. I soon learned that much ignorance about this and other systems was deliberate and fostered. I had to learn that many people cared little for ‘the truth’ and more for the successful promulgation of their carefully chosen narratives. But I still have faith in writing and communication. There are still many who seek out plain truths and who agree with me and Carl Rogers that ‘the facts are always friendly’.
And from about 2018 I found my interest in child protection expanding from a simple nuts and bolts explanation of the operation of the Children Act 1989. The growing debate about issues of sex and gender had real and immediate impact for children because of the alarming and very sudden surge in referrals (mainly of young girls) to ‘gender identity clinics’ - culminating in judicial review bought by Keira Bell against the Tavistock hospital in 2020.
My wish to talk openly about the impact of ‘gender identity’ on children brought me very quickly into conflict with those who do not wish to encourage any discussion about this at all - on the basis that to do so is invalidating or denying the existence of those who are trans. I reject this. Discussion and debate do not ‘invalidate’ anyone; they are the life blood of democracy. However, in this I find I am dangerously out of step with our current climate and have had to resort to legal action against the College of Policing for their ‘hate crimes guidance’ which sees me now reported and recorded three times by my local force for ‘posting hate’.
I want to continue to write about these issues and discuss them. I think they are very important for all of us, but most particularly for younger children who lack the capacity to make serious decisions about their lives which will have long term consequences. Their concept of their ‘future self’ is often very nebulous; they have a right to be surrounded by adults who have their best interests at heart and who will help guide them to making the best decisions to secure their emotional and physical health.
I do not doubt that gender dysphoria is real and very painful. I do not doubt that a small minority of children will need access to drugs and possibly surgery to enable them to live at peace with themselves. However, I think the majority of children wrestling with issues of ‘gender identity’ do not need to make drastic and irreversible changes to their bodies, but need other forms of help and support to come to terms with who they are.
I do not think it is ‘hateful’ or bigoted to say this. I want to continue to explore the ways in which our society can best operate to protect the children within it. These discussions go way beyond an explanation about legislation and case law arising from the Children Act 1989 and it is clear that I need to have another outlet for these thoughts.
I have now been banned twice from Medium for discussing such issues so let’s give this space a try. Hopefully there is still an opportunity for us to write and read about issues of importance. I propose to re-publish here some of the discussions on the Child Protection Resource and to consider new issues as they arise - a very important judgment is coming this June with the Tavistock’s appeal against the High Court ruling that puberty blockers and cross sex hormones were experimental treatment, to which children were unlikely to have the capacity to consent.
I will write mainly for my own amusement and edification. But if others want to read and comment, that would be amazing. I am wiser now about the power of the written word. It’s not as great as I once assumed, but it is still one of the few things that stands between us and chaos.
Best of luck. I am sure Substack will provide a welcome and safe place for your words and thoughts...
I intend to save your comment and deploy it against arguments on these topics that we are trying to ‘erase people’s existence’: “Discussion and debate do not ‘invalidate’ anyone; they are the life blood of democracy.”