NSPCC removes same-sex rule for supervising children in changing rooms

The NSPCC’s newest safeguarding briefing no longer states that adults supervising children in changing rooms must be of the same gender, effectively allowing male teachers to oversee female pupils at pools and sports centres. The charity claims the revision mirrors a recent update to Department for Education guidance, but the DfE refutes that any such recommendation was removed. Critics, including Tory equalities spokesman Joy Morrissey and Sex Matters chief Maya Forstater, argue the move abandons common-sense safety measures and succumbs to pressure from transgender activists.

The NSPCC denies external lobbying influenced the change and says it will consider further revisions when clearer direction arrives from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The debate highlights tensions between safeguarding policies and evolving gender-identity considerations in schools.