The Department for Education has updated its mental health guidance for schools and colleges to remove the advice line of the controversial transgender charity, Mermaids.

The guidance was updated this week to remove the Mermaids advice line from the list of mental health and wellbeing resources recommended by the DfE.

The update has been welcomed by Christian Concern, which has been campaigning for changes to the DfE's transgender guidance for schools.

It follows a significant victory by Christian parents, Nigel and Sally Rowe, who challenged the DfE's affirming policies and were granted a judicial review.

The DfE settled with the couple last month, agreeing to pay their legal costs and review existing transgender guidance for schools.

Welcoming the removal of the Mermaids advice line from school mental health and wellbeing guidance, Christian Concern chief executive Andrea Williams said, "We are delighted to see this minor but important change.

"This wouldn't have been possible without Nigel and Sally Rowe's brave challenge of the Department for Education's position, supported by extensive evidence.

"The government must follow through and end its 'inclusion at any cost' policy."

Christian Concern has been campaigning for the Church of England to review its school policy document, Valuing All God's Children, which touches on transgender issues, and repeated its call in light of the DfE update this week.

"The guidance continues to reflect the extreme trans ideology of Mermaids and Stonewall and ignores overwhelming evidence that affirming young children's gender transitions causes tangible and serious harm," said Ms Williams.

"The Church of England has over one million children under its care - will senior leaders finally listen and scrap this untenable advice?

"Valuing All God's Children is increasingly being used in courts of law to hammer Christians who believe what the Bible teaches - that each of us are made male or female, equally valuable but objectively different.

"The Church of England's failure to speak truthfully and compassionately on this point is hurting Christians and failing to safeguard countless children."

In response to the call from Christian Concern, a spokesperson for the Church of England refuted suggestions that Valuing All God's Children was influenced by Mermaids.

"It is simply untrue to describe the Church of England's anti bullying guidance for schools Valuing All God's Children as 'Mermaids influenced'," the spokesperson said.

"Mermaids had no involvement in or influence on the preparation of the guidance, published in 2017.

"Initial copies of the guidance did include an annexe with a list of organisations working in this area, which was provided by the Government.

"Although the text emphasised that the Church of England could not recommend or endorse any organisation as a resource, nevertheless the annexe was also removed three years ago for the avoidance of doubt."

Mermaids declined to comment on the removal of its advice line from government guidance.