UKCP statement: Conversion therapy ban

Published: 1 April 2022

For our latest position see our update on conversion therapy page. 

We are concerned by recent reports about changes to the government’s plans for a ban on conversion therapy. Conversion therapy can cause very serious harm and any ban that does not explicitly protect trans, asexual, non-binary and other people at risk of conversion therapy will not be fit for purpose.

UKCP supports practitioners in adopting a non-judgemental approach towards matters of sexual orientation and gender identity, working with clients to explore their own emergent sense of identity without the practitioner adopting coercive practices towards a pre-determined outcome. We have repeatedly offered to support the government in developing legislation in this complex area, to protect people from conversion therapy without impacting safe, ethical therapy.

We are disappointed that the government has not engaged more meaningfully with us in reaching its current apparent position. It is essential that any conversion therapy ban protects all those at risk – and, internationally, there are numerous examples of legislation that manages this.

We urge the government to work with us and other organisations representing the LGBTQ+ community and mental health professionals to rectify the situation.