1. Information relating to the total number of Looked After Children in your care.
2. Information relating to the number of Looked After Children in your care currently who have expressed that they may be a different gender to their sex or expressed a wish to change their gender. I would like to know:
a. The total number of such children
In addition, if you can provide the information below without identifying children, I would also like to know:
b. The number of such children aged 10 and under
c. The number of such children who are:
i. Biologically male; i.e. their sex at birth was male
ii. Biologically female; i.e. their sex at birth was female
3. Information relating to the number of Looked After Children in your care who have been referred to an NHS Service in the last 48 months due to their expression of gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, or the belief that their gender identity is different
to their sex.
For questions 1-3, compliance with this request would exceed the appropriate cost limit under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which is £450 or 18 hours of officer time. We currently have 863 children in care and 877 care leavers and it would take 30 minutes to extract this information for each child which is 870 hours and over the 18 hours of officer time.
Under the Act, there is a duty to provide advice and assistance as to how a request can be refined to fit within the appropriate limit. Unfortunately, due to the way the data is held, this is not possible for this request.
4. Documents relating to any training or resources you have used from an external provider (charity or commercial organisation) on gender identity, sex and sexuality, or transition in the last 48 months.
We have not used any training or resources from external providers in the last 48 months.
a. If training has been provided, please provide details of the organisations who provided the training, the date, and the cost to the Local Authority.
N/A.
5. A copy of all your policies relating to transgender or gender questioning Looked After Children.
We do not hold specific policies relating to transgender or gender questioning.
6. Who, if anyone, would the Local Authority consult before allowing a Looked After Child to socially transition (i.e. identify as a different gender to their sex). Please name all relevant roles.
We would follow the current NHS guidance and advise the young person to contact their GP and we would then support following that consultation with any further referrals that are recommended.
7. Whether you are a member of any Stonewall schemed including their ‘Diversity Champion’ scheme
a. Whether you have been a member of any Stonewall schemes in the last 48 months.
b. Any application you have made to Stonewall to be a ‘Stonewall Diversity Champion’ or to be included on Stonewall’s ‘Workplace Equality Index’.
Please provide any relevant documents that set out this information.
Devon County Council is not a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champion scheme.