The Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case into transgender youth support charity Mermaids, after it received a number of complaints about the organisation.
It had been considering regulatory action after the Telegraph published an article raising concerns about the supply of chest binders to young people via the charity without parental consent.
The Commission has now opened a compliance case, which in itself is not a finding of wrongdoing.
A Commission spokesperson said: “Concerns have been raised with us about Mermaids’ approach to safeguarding young people. We have opened a regulatory compliance case, and have written to the trustees. We now await their reply.”
Mermaids said: “We have received the letter from the Charity Commission and will be responding in due course.”
The charity previously issued a response to the concerns raised in the Telegraph’s piece, and stated: “Some trans masculine, non-binary and gender diverse people experience bodily dysphoria, as a result of their chest, and binding, for some, helps alleviate that distress.
“Mermaids takes a harm reduction position with the understanding that providing a young person with a binder and comprehensive safety guidelines from an experienced member of staff is preferable to the likely alternative of unsafe practices and/or continued or increasing dysphoria.”
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