For the first time the majority of patients referred to the Tavistock clinic are aged 14 or under

Almost three-quarters of children seeking help to change their gender are girls, the highest proportion recorded, according to figures from England’s only child gender clinic.

The numbers, for the year to this April, also show marked rises in younger children seeking treatment. For the first time, the majority of patients referred to the clinic (54%) are aged 14 or under.

The number of 13-year-olds seeking treatment rose by 30% in a year to 331. Referrals of 14-year-olds went up by a quarter, to 511. The number of 11-year-olds is up by 28%. The youngest patients were three.

Across all ages, the entire year’s rise was accounted for by girls. The number of boys referred, 624, was the same as last year. The number of girls