Equalities Minister Liz Truss MP has said that she is pressing ahead with the Government’s commitment to ban conversion therapy in order to "protect LGBT people from these abhorrent practices."

There’s a real concern that this would prohibit evidence-based therapy for children experiencing gender dysphoria, cases of which have exploded over the last decade.

A petition has been created by healthcare professionals calling on the government not to criminalise therapy for vulnerable children.

Here to explain why he supports the petition is James Esses, a psychotherapist in training who is working towards a Masters in Integrative Psychotherapy.

James sees regular clients for long-term psychotherapy and, crucially for his conversation with Darren Grimes today, has selflessly volunteered as a counsellor for the past five years, where he has provided weekly counselling to children and young people.