A state funded NGO has been training teachers to lie to parents about their children

With additional reporting by Gary Kavanagh.

The State funded NGO BeLongTo has produced a handbook for teachers and youth workers which specifically instructs those professionals to lie to parents/guardians about their children. 

The guide, called “Universal LGBT+ awareness and skills training for professionals working with young people in community or education settings,” is a handbook for teachers and youth educators aimed at informing them how to handle issues related to gender and sexuality. 

The handbook was originally published in 2019, but Gript have found that teachers and youth workers who  receive training from BeLongTo are still being given the document. The handbook, referred to as an “Awareness Manual,” is provided to teachers and youth workers who undergo BeLongTo’s “Education and Youth Workers Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People” training. BeLongTo did not respond to a question asking how many teachers and youth workers have undergone this training.

In situations in which a child has disclosed that they are queer or transgender the document advises teachers/youth workers not to “out” children to their parents/guardians, but then goes further and says that they should, if directly asked about their children’s sexuality/gender by a parent, lie and “say you don’t know.”

Gript contacted BeLongTo asking about the appropriateness of their advice but we have, so far, received no response. We also asked  how many teachers/youth workers have received the training and if representatives of BeLongTo have given instruction in schools.  This article will be updated should a response be received.