News Press Release: Indefinite Puberty Blockers Ban creates significant uncertainty for trans young people and families

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Press Release: Indefinite Puberty Blockers Ban creates significant uncertainty for trans young people and families

11th December 2024

A coalition of Northern Ireland based LGBTQIA+ charities have criticised the Executive’s decision to ban puberty blockers indefinitely, to not be reviewed until 2027, leaving trans children and young people, and their families, denied their healthcare needs for a further 3 years. Alexa Moore, Policy Campaigns and Communications Manager at the Rainbow Project, said, “We are extremely disappointed by the decision taken by the Executive to impose an indefinite ban on puberty blockers in Northern Ireland. We have made clear, in our meetings with Executive Ministers, that politicians should not override the expertise of frontline clinicians, young people and their families in taking the healthcare decisions that are best for them. “We regret that the Executive have taken the decision to ban puberty blockers when, in effect, trans young people have had little or no access to adequate healthcare in many years. This ban compounds what was an already challenging environment for families and children here in Northern Ireland. We call on the Executive to provide meaningful and urgent support to the young people who will be impacted by this decision.”The clinical evidence for this decision has not been forthcoming, as the Executive has refused to publish any guidance it has received, but we remain concerned that evidence and circumstances for trans children and young people in Northern Ireland have not been adequately considered. The consultation on a permanent ban on puberty blockers, which was responded to by the LGBTQIA+ sector locally, had seemingly no bearing on the outcome of this decision, with local politicians being ‘bounced’ into decisions by London.Christopher McIlwaine, Director of the Belfast Trans Resource Centre, said, “The Executive has serious questions to answer, particularly around what support is available for young people affected by this ban, and what contingency arrangements will be put in place to reduce the harm caused by this decision. We must see now, from the Department, a clear plan and pathway to support young people who have been accessing puberty blockers from private services, to safeguard both the physical and mental health and wellbeing of those most impacted.” Gender Identity Services for trans people in Northern Ireland have been in a state of disarray for the past number of years. Adolescent services have experienced staffing and funding pressures, resulting in many young people being left without support or care for several years. ENDS Notes to Editor:

The indefinite ban follows a series of 3-month rolling bans which were first put in place during an election period in July by the previous Conservative Government, and have been continued by the Labour Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting.
The Executive has thus far refused to publish the advice it received informing both the temporary ban and the new indefinite ban, despite Freedom of Information requests submitted by Belfast Live [Executive Office refuses to release evidence considered by First and deputy First Ministers before puberty blocker ban]
Gender Identity Services in Northern Ireland have been in a state of disarray for the past 5+ years. Over 1000 individuals sit on the waiting list for adult services, some of whom have been waiting for 7 years, and the youth Gender Identity Service (Knowing Our Identity, or KOI) has a waiting list of over two years.

For any further comment or media requests, please contact Alexa Moore, Policy Campaigns and Communications Manager at the Rainbow Project, at: 079 3354 5164 / alexa@rainbow-project.org

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