Following the publication of the Cass report, there has been significant attention given to the recommendations by the NHS and other health authorities. Action is being taken in the formation of the new services for children with gender related distress to implement the Cass recommendations around multi-disciplinary and evidenced based practice.
The BMA has announced its intention to conduct their own review of the Cass report, calling its integrity into question. The Association of Clinical Psychologists and the Academy of Medical Royal colleges both consider this move will risk stalling the important uptake of the Cass recommendations.
The Cass report which is widely acknowledged as the current best available evidence for work in this area. Furthermore, the Cass recommendations call for further research and evidence production so there is no rational basis for the BMA's opposition.
Currently there is little evidenced-based training for social workers as the response to gender related distress is based on the social and cultural responses in organisations, rather than on a cohesive, evidenced-based approach.
EBSWA welcomes what should be a much needed opportunity for the social work profession to work alongside other professional colleagues to respond to gender distress in children in a holisic, psychosocial and evidenced based manner.
We therefore call on Social Work England, and all U.K. regulators of social work and social care to ensure that social workers are provided with access to evidence and training based on the findings of the Cass report.
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