Figures show sharp rise in child transgender referrals

The number of children aged 10 or under who have been referred to Britain’s NHS to help deal with transgender feelings has more than quadrupled in the last six years, according to new figures.

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, Britain’s only centre specialising in gender issues in under-18s, said the number of under-11s referred to the unit had risen from 19 in 2009-10 to 77 in 2014-15.

Over that period, 47 children were aged five or younger, and two of the children were three years old.