By Graham Grant
A British schoolchild has been officially allowed to identify as a wolf, the Mail can reveal.
The secondary-school pupil is said to suffer from 'species dysphoria', which is when someone claims their body belongs to a different species.
Teachers are said to be supporting the youngster.
Growing numbers of schoolchildren are said to be taking on the personalities of creatures including foxes, dragons, birds, snakes, sharks and even dinosaurs.
However, clinical neuropsychologist Dr Tommy MacKay insisted last night: 'There is no such condition in science as 'species dysphoria'. It's not surprising that we are seeing this in an age when many people want to identify as something other than they are.
'Now we have a council which appears to accept at face value that a child identifies as a wolf, rather than being told to snap out of it and get to grips with themselves, which would be the common-sense approach.'
Confirmation of the first-known case in Scotland in which a school has recognised that a pupil identifies as an animal was revealed in official documents.
The Mail knows the name of the council involved but has decided not to disclose it to protect the identity of the child concerned.
The local authority said the pupil belonged to a group who called themselves 'furries' and identified with 'animal persona'. The council said it offered 'personal support' and 'more specific support' from a 'wellbeing worker', including counselling and help with learning, adding: 'There is very little specific guidance on species dysphoria.'
It explained that it followed Scottish government guidance called Getting It Right For Every Child (Girfec), and used a 'wellbeing wheel' to support pupils regardless of barriers to learning or challenges they face.
The wellbeing wheel is a diagram used in Girfec guidance that emphasises the importance of helping children to 'overcome inequalities' and ensure that their voices are heard in 'decisions that affect their life, with support where appropriate'.
Read original story on the Daily Mail
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