More than 250 children of primary school age are waiting for care at NHS gender clinics in England, according to new figures.

Up to nine of these kids – who are said to be suffering from gender identity issues – are aged six or younger.

Overall numbers on the national waiting list have fallen by a third in the past 12 months and the average waiting time for a first appointment is just under two years.

There are three children’s gender services in England, set up in the wake of the closure in 2024 of the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) which had been run by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

There were 4,079 children waiting to be seen at one of the three services at the end of March this year, according to Freedom of Information disclosures by NHS England.

This is down 34 per cent from 6,225 children on the waiting list at the same point last year.

Read more: More than 250 children of primary school age are waiting for care at NHS gender clinics – with the youngest aged six or under