TRANSGENDER CHILDREN AND HOW TO HELP THEM
THE Johnson family are helping researchers working with the Gender Identity Development Services which helps young people affected by gender dysphoria, the belief that one has been born the wrong gender.
The service at The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, received 2,728 referrals in 2019-2020 for under-18s in England and Wales.
The NHS recommends seeing a GP if a child shows signs of distress about their biological gender. There is a two-year waiting list for referral to GIDS, which has clinics in London and Leeds.
Once a referral is accepted, there’s a psychological assessment and the team will discuss the support available, from talking therapy to treatment with hormone blockers, which will pause puberty while a child thinks through their gender identity.
Puberty blockers are drugs that work on the brain to stop the eventual release of oestrogen or testosterone – the sex hormones that increase during puberty. This prevents the development of characteristics such as periods, breasts or voice-breaking.
Earlier this year a landmark test case to establish whether children can give informed consent to medical treatment for gender reassignment began in the High Court. At the centre of the case is the provision of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to young people who are considering transition.
NHS England has since announced an independent review of its policies on these hormone suppressants.
From the age of 16, teenagers who have been on hormone blockers for at least a year may be given cross-sex hormones, which encourage their bodies to develop characteristics of the gender they identify as.
These can cause breast development or breaking and deepening of the voice.
Young people aged 17 or older may then be seen in an adult gender identity clinic where they may decide to have surgery.
Current NHS guidance means gender reassignment surgery is not possible until someone is 18 and has been on cross-sex hormones for at least a year. wear and a few pretty things on her big day. And all of her gifts consist of girly items like Hatchimals, Hatchimals Pixies, My Fairy Garden sets, and clothing,” says Natalie. “She loves to sit with me and look at Claire’s Accessories online, at the hair products. We buy some for school every year.”
When Kaylan was younger her favourite princess was Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, she now loves funny characters such as Sven and Olaf in Frozen and the penguins in Madagascar.
At the family’s house in Kent, she shares a bedroom with her big brother Kaiell and each has chosen the decor for their side of the room – sparkly blue paint for Kaiell and sparkly pink for Kaylan.
Natalie says the school has been incredibly supportive. The toilets are unisex but they have assigned a “safe space” for Kaylan to change for PE and have books on the subject of transgender which they’ve read with her.
Dad Joseph, a full-time carer for his partner, who suffers from a range of health conditions, said: “It’s not been an easy journey but it’s not been as difficult as others we’ve heard about. It’s the people that are closest to us and her who have had the most difficulty accepting her as she is. When complete strangers look at her all they see is a girl. I’m happy that she’s happy. It’s who she is and there’s no changing that.”
Natalie took Kaylan to her GP when she was five years old and the family were told to visit the GIDS website for information before the referral was made.
Kaylan will not be seen as a patient until she is at least eight years old.
Natalie said: “We didn’t go to the GP straight away as we wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a phase. But we took her as soon as it became apparent that it wasn’t.
“We were told to look at all the information online before we decided we definitely wanted to go ahead with the referral. We were told that it wouldn’t be an easy process for us as parents or for Kaylan.
“But if you can’t do what your child needs of you then what’s the point of being a parent?”