What is trans and how does it relate to our services
Trans is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not
sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth. Trans people may describe
themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to)
trans, non-binary, gender queer, gender non-conforming. Trans people are part of the
LGBT+ community which includes lesbian, gay and bi young people. There are separate one
minute guides for lesbian and gay and for bi young people.
Many trans young people are aware of their gender identity from a young age, though they
may not have shared this with anybody. Any of the young people you are working with may
identify as trans therefore you should not make assumptions about any young person’s
gender identity.
All young people want places to go and things to do in a safe environment where they feel
valued, accepted and included. Children and Families Services have a moral duty to provide
such environments for all young people, including trans young people. The Equality Act 2010 made gender reassignment a protected characteristic external link, which means that any service,
whether publicly funded or not, cannot lawfully discriminate against trans people. In
addition, the Act introduced the public sector Equality Duty, which means that services have
to consider how they can address inequalities experienced by trans people.
What is ‘coming out’
The process of trans people telling others about their sexuality is often referred to as
‘coming out’. Coming out to somebody can be very stressful, as young people may fear
rejection or discrimination. For this reason, young people will often tell someone they trust
and have confidence in. If a young person comes out to you, they may simply want
someone to talk to about what can be a confusing and scary time for them, or they may
want support in accessing further information, some of which is available through this
guide.
It is important not to share information about a young person’s gender identity with other
family members, young people or practitioners without the young person’s consent. Doing
so without their consent is called ‘outing’ and can be very harmful to young people.
Sharing personal or sensitive information about someone without their consent could be a breach of
their rights under data protection legislation. This should only be considered in exceptional
circumstances, which should be discussed with your line manager and/or safeguarding
lead.
Respect for trans young people
Use the name and pronoun (for example - he, she, her, him, they, them) that the person asks you to. If you aren’t sure what the right pronoun is, please ask. If you make a mistake with
pronouns, correct yourself and move on.
Young people may refer to the name on their birth certificate as their ‘dead’ name, as they no longer identify with it. It is good practice to record on their file and/or on agency systems their preferred name and gender, although there will be some instances, such as those requiring birth certificates, where this is not legally permissible.
It is important to respect people’s boundaries, which means not asking intrusive questions.
Young people who identify as trans are often exploring their gender identity - during this time, it is important to give them the space and freedom needed for this exploration, free from
external pressures. A young person’s gender identity should be respected without judgement.
What barriers or challenges might trans young people face
There is a limited amount of research available about the specific barriers faced by trans young
people, compared to LGB/LGBT groups as a whole. Research by Stonewall external linksuggests that there is
a higher prevalence of mental health difficulties and higher levels of discrimination against trans
young people than LGB, heterosexual and non-trans young people.
In 2018, the Department for Education published a document and a series of case studies on approaches to preventing and tackling bullying external link, which includes a section on tackling homophobic,
biphobic and transphobic bullying.
What is available for trans young people locally and nationally
Local support
Leeds has a youth group for trans young people aged 13 to 18 called ‘Transtastic’. The group meets regularly and offers both a safe space for trans young people to socialise and receive 1 to 1 confidential support. Contact the Youth Service on 0113 378 6840 or email
youth.service@leeds.gov.uk to request a leaflet or referral pack or to request a call back. Young people can contact this group directly, they do not need to be referred by a practitioner.
Also in Leeds,
the School Wellbeing Service has a number of resources on their website external link.
Some trans young people may want to access specialist support. The NHS runs a Gender
Identity Development Service (GIDS) external link which young people can be referred to for support in
terms of medical care. It is not possible for young people to self-refer to this service. It should be noted that while some trans young people will be keen to explore medical care in relation to their gender identity, this is not the case for all trans young people and so it is not appropriate to make assumptions.
National support
Nationally, a wide range of resources and sources of support are available, including:
Stonewall external link
the national LGBT charity
Mermaids external link and Gendered Intelligence external link
are both charities which provide support for trans young people
Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) external link
is a UK-wide organisation that works to improve the lives of trans and gender diverse people of all ages
Galop external link
for LGBT people experiencing hate crime, sexual violence or domestic abuse
Albert Kennedy Trust (atk) external link
for LGBT young people who are, or who are at risk of becoming, homeless
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