NSPCC removes same-sex supervision rule for school changing rooms

The NSPCC has updated its safeguarding guidance for school changing rooms, removing a previous policy that required adult supervisors to be the same gender as the pupils they were supervising. Under the new briefing, male teachers could potentially supervise girls while they are changing at swimming pools or sports centers.

Critics and campaigners have accused the charity of making the change due to pressure from transgender rights activists. Maya Forstster, CEO of Sex Matters, criticized the move for creating ambiguity and failing to provide clear, practical guidance for school safety. Shadow Equalities Minister Joy Morrissey described the policy shift as ‘completely unacceptable,’ arguing that sex-based supervision is a matter of common sense.

The NSPCC stated the change followed an update from the Department for Education (DfE) and that it is awaiting official guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). However, the Government has denied that such guidance was removed from its own documentation. The charity maintains that the decision was not the result of external lobbying.