Trans and gender identity
Find out more about supporting trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people and volunteers
Scouts is open to all and welcomes trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people and volunteers. We're committed to creating a movement where everyone feels welcome, respected and included. This page explains how we support trans inclusion while meeting our inclusion aims and legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
Trans Inclusion for Scouts - Update July 2026
In April 2025, the Supreme Court clarified that ‘sex’ under the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published a draft Code of Practice to outline requirements for organisations.
Scouts remains committed to creating a movement where everyone feels safe, respected and included. This includes trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people and volunteers, while also recognising our responsibility to balance the rights, privacy, and dignity of all members in line with the Equality Act 2010.
This update should help answer the key questions seen across the movement. We’re reviewing our wider policies to ensure they remain clear, lawful, and consistent with Scouts’ values.
In some circumstances, leaders will need to balance the rights, privacy, dignity and safety of all members, including those protected under the characteristics of sex and gender reassignment. Decisions should be made proportionately, sensitively and based on the individual circumstances. If you have any questions about supporting young people or volunteers, get in touch with the Support Centre.
We’ll keep this guidance under review while we await any further guidance from the EHRC Code of Practice.
No. Scouts is and will remain an inclusive movement which welcomes trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people and volunteers.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy outlines our commitment to creating a movement where everyone feels safe, respected, and included.
We cater to a diverse range of young people ranging between the ages of 4 years and 25 years old. There’s no single approach to sleeping arrangements in Scouts. We understand there may be different accommodation and camping setup requirements for a number of different reasons and needs. We outline in our policies that sleeping arrangements are decided on a case-by-case basis by leaders taking into account our strict safeguarding policies (including the Yellow Card and risk assessments), accommodation constraints, Nights Away guidance and Equality Act 2010 obligations.
Young people, parents, and carers should feel able to express preferences about sleeping arrangements in a way that is safe and supportive. Implementation of our Nights Away guidance should not isolate or single out any one individual.
Some practical options to support our members feeling safe, welcome and included at Nights Away events may include:
- All-gender tent or room options.
- Single-occupancy options may be considered where they support individual needs privacy and dignity but should not be used in a way that isolates or singles out an individual.
- Compartment tents with separate sleeping areas.
Not all the above options will be suitable for each situation and must be justified by leaders in line with our policies and guidance. These options can be used alongside single-sex accommodation options to help make sure everyone feels comfortable at Scouts.
Decisions about facilities (such as toilets and changing rooms) should be made sensitively and consider the needs, privacy, and wellbeing of all members. Trans people should be supported appropriately, in line with our safeguarding policies, the Yellow Card and the Equality Act 2010.
The EHRC has clarified that individuals should use labelled single-sex facilities that align to their biological sex. Leaders need to make arrangements for facilities to balance privacy, dignity, safeguarding, and inclusion for everyone involved. This does not mean that trans people should be treated less favourably.
To support the inclusion of trans and non-binary members we suggest:
- Where practical and appropriate, consider providing single occupancy facilities that support the needs of all members.
- Use venues with single, self-contained toilet and shower cubicles.
- Where only multi-occupancy facilities are available, consider staggering shower and changing times to maximise privacy.
- Provide sanitary waste disposal bins in all toilets. Check out our guidance on managing periods on Nights Away activities.
- Use the NSPCC’s PANTS resources to help younger sections understand privacy and boundaries.
- If you need advice, speak to your District Lead Volunteer, County Lead Volunteer or County Inclusion Lead, if you have one. If the situation is complex or you're unsure how to proceed, contact the Support Centre for further advice and support.
If a young person or volunteer tells you they're trans, be supportive, listen without judgement and respect their privacy. As with all interactions with young people, follow the Yellow Card:
- Regardless of the content of the conversation our rules around not being alone with a child must be followed.
- Be conscious that you could be the first person they have told.
- Create space to listen to them, avoid making judgments or assumptions, and respond in a positive and supportive manner.
- Ask how they’d like to be addressed, including their name and pronouns. They may ask you to use multiple sets of names and pronouns if they haven’t shared their gender identity with others.
- Reassure them that you won’t share this information with others (including volunteers, members, parents, and carers) without their permission, unless you have concerns for their welfare or safety. Doing so could not only be distressing for the individual but, may also be a breach of confidentiality and affect their trust in you and in Scouts.
- Let them know that Scouts is an inclusive movement and they’re welcome.
- Take time to learn more and seek guidance to better support them.
Information about a member’s trans identity should be kept confidential subject to our policies. It should only be shared with express permission or due to a relevant safeguarding concern. We suggest that Scout Leaders, Scout members, parents, and carers review our Data Protection Policy.
If you are a parent, carer or Scout member who would like to discuss information of this nature then we suggest contacting a trusted Scout Leader or the Group Lead Volunteer.
If an individual insists that this information remains private and you're unsure about what to do, seek support locally from your County Lead Volunteer, District Lead Volunteer or County Inclusion Lead, if you have one, or contact the Support Centre.
If you're trans and you'd like some support talk to your Volunteer Line Manager. If you don’t feel able to talk to them, speak with another trusted volunteer. This might be a Group Lead Volunteer, County Lead Volunteer or District Lead Volunteer. You could also contact your County Inclusion Lead, if you have one. If you need support beyond this, contact the Support Centre.
