The number of legal battles over transgender children's rights is rising, as charities say councils are becoming increasingly involved in cases of gender reassignment.

Christian Concern is dealing with four separate cases in which parents are opposing decisions taken by schools and social workers to let children to transition from girl to boy, or vice versa. A cluster of disputes has emerged despite no similar cases being dealt with in previous years, suggesting they are a new phenomenon.

Andrea Williams, of the Christian Legal Centre, which funds legal support for families, said more legal disputes involving transgender children were arising as a result of public opinion having becoming more accepting of gender reassignment.

In two cases being dealt with by the Charity, parents of multiple children have clubbed together to oppose a school's decision to let a member of their class take steps towards transitioning, such as changing their name and using the opposite sex's toilets and changing rooms.