NASW-NC Opposes Any Efforts to Redefine Child Abuse to Include Gender Affirming Care
Friday, February 25, 2022
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Posted by: Valerie Arendt
NASW-NC Stands in Solidarity with Trans Community in Texas
The National Association of Social Workers North Carolina
(NASW-NC) stands opposed to any efforts at the state or federal level to
change the definition of child abuse to include “gender affirming care”
as referenced in the Texas Attorney General’s non-binding opinion
KP-0401 released on February 18, 2022, as well as Texas Governor
Abbott’s February 22, 2022 letter to the Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services (DFPS) Commissioner “directing” DFPS to investigate
such accusations. These continued attempts to change the definition of
child abuse are in direct opposition to social work values, principles,
and the NASW Code of Ethics and pose a vast danger to transgender youth and
their families.
As mental health professionals working in a variety of settings,
social workers are called to care for all persons. Redefining child
abuse to include gender affirming care would endanger how mental health
professionals serve people in the LGBTQ+ community. The NASW Code
of Ethics provides a framework for how social workers can work to
empower and support the self determination of all people, as well as
engage in conversations about identity—including gender identity.
Those conversations within a therapeutic or any social work relationship should never be defined as child abuse.
We urge policy makers in Texas and across our nation to heed the
advice of the legal, medical and mental health professional communities
about how these proposed actions would endanger youth and families while
negatively impacting the licensed professionals who serve as mandatory
reports of child abuse. Take action to support trans kids and families in Texas here. See NASW Texas statement here.
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