An official handbook has issued guidance for child and youth care services, suggesting that children as young as twelve could be referred for medical advice about transitioning.
A report published by the Care Inspectorate (pdf), a regulatory body set up by the Scottish government in 2011, suggested that care home staff can “support young people to explore appropriate options and provide access to a range of different supports.”
To seek medical assistance to transition, according to the guide, young people can seek a referral can be made to Sandyford Gender Service, an NHS gender identity clinic in Glasgow.
The report referred to the legal provisions to suggest that children as young as 12 can “make decisions about medical treatment, although we recognise this will not always be the case.”…