Trans children and their families say they have been “broken” following a high court decision to raise the age of consent for young people accessing puberty blockers. On 1 December the High Court ruled that those aged 16 and under are “unlikely” to be able to give informed consent to start puberty blocker treatment, which stalls the onset of puberty for younger people questioning their gender. But some of the affected families described the ruling as “an insult,” with parents telling i they fear their children may take their lives if they are refused the treatment.

The court’s ruling will be suspended until the outcome of the appeal, but young people like 12-year-old Bella* and her mum Melanie say they are already feeling the judgement’s effect.

Bella has been a patient at the NHS Gender and Identity Development Services (GIDS) for the last six years, and was told on Thursday she no longer would be able to have puberty blockers through the service.

Since this ruling was made, the GIDS as well as family GPs and private services have said they are uncertain over whether they can deliver the treatment, with GIDS suspending any puberty blockers for patients scheduled to begin the treatment.

“Bella was a toddler when she first told us she was a girl, and she socially transitioned age 6.5 and has lived her life as the girl she is,” her mum Melanie told i. “She has been a patient at the Gender and Identity Services Clinic for the last six years, and after numerous assessments, was eight weeks off her final consent appointment and the first dosage of blockers. We were so close.

“Sadly, her appointment to get the blockers was still cancelled on Thursday afternoon. The secretary told me doctors and nurses had tears in their eyes when they heard the verdict,” Melanie said. Read more via i news