Transgender youth charity Mermaids is under investigation over claims it has given breast binders to children.
The regulatory body for charities in England and Wales said it has received complaints following reports concerning the supply of chest binders to teenagers.
The commission is looking at whether the charity has complied with regulations after a Daily Telegraph investigation reported the binders were given to children as young as 13 years old, despite their parents saying they opposed the practice.
The NHS defines binding as “reducing the appearance of soft tissue by flattening your chest”. They can be used by transgender or non-binary people to help relieve the symptoms of gender dysphoria, which is a sense of unease because of a mismatch between biological sex and gender identity.
Chest binding is opposed by some groups over fears it causes breathing difficulties, back pain and broken ribs.
The newspaper also reported that the Mermaids online help centre has been offering advice to teenagers that hormone-blocking drugs are safe and “totally reversible”.
Mermaids said it would respond in “due course” but has responded to the original investigation’s claims.
In response to the article, Mermaids said it provided binders with “comprehensive safety guidance” from its staff.
“Mermaids takes a harm reduction position with the understanding that providing a young person with a binder and comprehensive safety guidelines from an experienced member of staff is preferable to the likely alternative of unsafe practices and/or continued or increasing dysphoria,” the charity said.
The Charity Commission confirmed it was aware of concerns related to Mermaids following the Daily Telegraph investigation into the availability of chest binders to children via the charity without parental consent.
The Charity Commission has launched a regulatory compliance case and has written to Mermaids' trustees.
A spokesperson for the regulatory body said: “Concerns have been raised with us about Mermaids' approach to safeguarding young people. We have opened a regulatory compliance case, and have written to the trustees. We now await their reply.”
