Hannah Doody, Chief Executive of Merton Council, said: “I want to be really clear: the council has not banned the use of the term ‘mum and dad’.  

“The council produced a guide for staff which contains tips and suggestions on how to communicate with understanding and without making assumptions. These are not policies or instructions. 

“We regularly review all our guides and policies, and intend to review this guide to ensure it cannot be further misunderstood or misrepresented.”