Boy, 7, removed from mum because he was ‘living entirely as a girl’ now has ‘male-oriented interests’ since living with his dad
High Court judge rules the mum caused 'significant emotional harm' to the lad, and blasts 'naive and arrogant' social workers who failed to intervene
A SEVEN-year-old boy has been removed from his mother's care by a High Court judge because he was "living life entirely as a girl".
Mr Justice Hayden said the woman had caused "significant emotional harm" to the youngster because she was convinced her son "perceived himself as a girl" and was determined that he should dress and act like one.
The judge said: “(His mother) told me he was ‘living in stealth’ by which was meant, she explained, that he was living life entirely as a girl.
“He dressed, at all times, like a girl and, it transpired, had been registered at a new general practitioner’s as a girl."
But after going to live with his father on the orders of the judge the boy has taken up "male-oriented" interests such as Power Rangers.
The details emerged today in a ruling in which the judge criticised the "naivety and professional arrogance" of social workers who failed to act on a "clamour of concern" from teachers and doctors.
He said concerns had been raised about the boy from a wide range of sources as long ago as 2013.
Council staff had received a tip-off about the boy wearing a pink headband and nail varnish - which was said to "make his mother happy" - and about the mother's mental health and irrational behaviour.
In 2014 police requested agency checks after they received information the boy was “possibly transgender and a victim of hate crime”.
Later the same year a GP requested a social worker should visit the family due to concerns around the boy possibly having gender identity disorder. No further action was taken by social workers.
Staff at the council’s housing department advised that the boy’s mother had removed him from school “due to them having issues with (the boy) dressing as a girl”.
They reported that the child "looked dirty, had pen marks to the legs and was dressed as a girl”.
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Mr Justice Hayden did not identify the family or the local authority but said the boy's parents had separated some years ago and the boy had stayed with his mother.
Family court litigation started about three years ago after the father raised concerns about not having contact with his son.
The judge said his “overwhelming impression” was that the woman “believes herself to be to fighting for (her son’s) right to express himself as a girl”.
He said the woman had told him the boy “expressed disdain for his penis”. The judge added: “I consider that (the mother) has caused significant emotional harm to (the boy) in her active determination that he should be a girl.”
Mr Justice Hayden said it was plain there was "widespread unease" but "the cry for investigation went unheeded."
He said: “When all this is properly analysed, it is clear that flares of concern were being sent from a whole raft of multi-disciplinary agencies.
“Each was signalling real anxiety in respect of this child’s welfare.
He added: “I have found it quite impossible to understand why so many concerns were disregarded so summarily.
"Concerns were dismissed on the basis that it was the other agencies who ‘did not have a full understanding of gender non-conforming children’. In fact, it was (social workers) and senior managers whose understanding was lacking.
“This local authority has consistently failed to take appropriate intervention where there were strong grounds for believing that a child was at risk of serious emotional harm."
Mr Justice Hayden said the boy's father was shocked when the youngster moved in with him and his partner.
But he said the boy had settled down well in his father's care.
He said: "I have been told that (the father) and his partner were shocked when they first saw (the boy) by the extent to which he appeared to be a girl, both in appearance and in mannerism.
"However, what is striking is how well he has settled down.
"I have noted from reports that (the boy) has become interested in Power Rangers, SpongeBob, Superheroes and is constantly finding new interests.
"It is striking that most of (the boy's) interests are male-oriented. I am entirely satisfied, both on the basis of the reports and (the father's) evidence at this hearing, that he has brought no pressure on (the boy) to pursue masculine interests. (The boy's) interests and energy are entirely self-motivated."
He said the boy's dad had shown himself to be a "natural and instinctive father".
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