New guidelines for WA schools say they should include “gender-neutral toilet options” to “establish a more inclusive environment” for gender-diverse students.

And schools planning Year 12 balls are being encouraged to rip up strict dress code policies so they do not discriminate against transgender and gender-diverse students.

The recommendations are contained in resources provided to schools and staff by Inclusive Education WA, which was rebranded from the controversial Safe Schools program.

It is funded by the Education Department to make schools inclusive for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender-diverse students.

Run by the WA Aids Council, its aim is to reduce homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools by providing support for gender-diverse students, running gender diversity training for teachers and offering lesson plans for students.

The resources urge schools to “consider providing gender-neutral toilet options, which should be accessible to any student who wishes to use them and will help to establish a more inclusive environment for transgender and gender diverse students”.

Guidelines on hosting inclusive school balls suggest strict dress code policies could discriminate against or exclude gender-diverse students and urge planners to allow students “to express their identity in whatever way makes them comfortable within reason”.

The Education Department said it did not have a policy of providing specific gender-neutral toilets in new schools.

“In new schools we provide universal access toilets and adult access toilets which allow schools flexibility for students,” a spokeswoman said.

Universal and adult access toilets include facilities for people with disabilities.

A Catholic Education WA spokeswoman said its schools aimed to have toilets designated for females and males, as well as toilets that were available for general use.

Education Minister Sue Ellery refused to comment.

Australian Christian Lobby State director and former MLA Peter Abetz said gender neutral toilets needed to have individual entrances, so that boys and girls were not mixing in the same unsupervised toilet area.