Trans Safety Network has seen evidence Wes Streeting and the DHSC solicited feedback on a “puberty blocker risk form” from Bayswater Support Group and other anti-trans groups in September 2025, 6 months after Trans Safety Network first contacted him and DHSC to raise about their influence over trans healthcare policy given the significant safeguarding issues.
Leaked logs from the Bayswater discord show that parents discussed putting chilli sauce in their child’s mascara and advocated for destruction of their childrens belongings. Investigative reporting by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism also showed that parents in the forum suggested blocking their child’s access to childline, and one member talked about refusing to allow their child to attend a local rape crisis centre after sexual assault due to the centre being “affirming”.
TSN has spoken to young people whose parents are members of Bayswater about the significant distress caused by practices advocated by the group. They told TSN that their parents shouted at them and other trans people in public, that they believed their transitions were “wrong and evil”, cut off access to the internet and attempted to sabotage their A levels in the hope they would not be able to attend university as a result, and therefore would continue to be more under parental control. Many of these young people reported becoming suicidal as a result of this rejection and abuse. Additionally, Bayswater continues to link to the conversion therapy manual Desist, Detrans & Detox on its website, where it is described as “an essential read for parents starting this journey with their child”.
All of the above is highly concerning and suggestive of significant harm to trans young people. Trans Safety Network are alarmed that Bayswater continues to be consulted with in view of this.
This request for feedback was sent by the DHSC to Bayswater on the 11th of September, 4 days before Streeting gave a speech to the NHS LGBT+ Conference in which he claimed his “only motivation” for banning puberty blockers was to “make sure that medicine given to children is safe and effective and grounded in robust evidence.” It is unclear how continued engagement with a group where parents normalise physical and psychological abuse of transgender children and young people fits with this claim.
Other anti-trans/anti-affirming groups solicited to provide feedback include:
- CAN-SG
- Genspect (a SPLC listed hate group)
- LGB Alliance
- Sex Matters
- The Integrated Psychology Clinic
- Thoughtful Therapists
- Transgender Trend.
Many of these groups lack any relevant expertise in healthcare for transgender children and young people, and all argue against established international best practices. These groups also have significant membership overlap, meaning that a handful of anti-trans actors are given larger prominence as a result.
In late April, we received a response to the concerns we raised from the minister for patient safety which claimed that the government is "steadfast in protecting LGBT+ people", that they will avoid engaging with stakeholders "who promote unsafe practices and hold discriminatory views”, and that they consider conversion therapy practices to be abuse. They also suggested we report Bayswater to CQC, despite the fact that the CQC does not regulate parental support groups.
It is hard to reconcile this response with DHSC’s continued engagement with Bayswater and other anti-trans groups given the evidence outlined above.
Trans Safety Network call on Wes Streeting and DHSC to stick to their promises and stop all collaboration with Bayswater and other anti-trans groups. We also ask them to disregard their responses to this and other consultations they have been invited to give input to, and to reconsider any decisions made as a result of their responses.