Working together with families of gender diverse youth from different contexts and cultures – a multi-disciplinary, multi service workshop

Extensive research has focused on the nurturing and protective role of families in general and family connections have been shown to be protective against major health risk behaviours (Resnick et al, 1997). Transgender youth... [ view full abstract ]

Extensive research has focused on the nurturing and protective role of families in general and family connections have been shown to be protective against major health risk behaviours (Resnick et al, 1997). Transgender youth are more at risk of mental illness, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and self-harm than their non-transgender peers (Reisner et al., 2015). Parental rejection is reported by transgender youth as a particular stressor (Grossman and D’Augelli, 2008). Interventions that promote parental support may significantly affect the mental health of transgender youth (Simons et al., 2013) offering greater life satisfaction and reducing the likelihood of depressive symptoms. Parents and families of transgender youth may have a crucial opportunity to offset the mental health impact of societal harassment and discrimination for their children (Simons et al., 2013). What is less clear to-date is how specialist gender services can best facilitate opportunities for families to create greater family cohesion and enable parents to be supportive to their gender diverse off spring. The consideration of culture and context is also considered to be important although often overlooked. Further research is required into the efficacy of family interventions for transgender youth.  

The workshop will feature presentations based on the literature, clinical case reports and service delivery models. The presenters will share how they create different contexts for change and reflect on multiple... [ view full abstract ]

The workshop will feature presentations based on the literature, clinical case reports and service delivery models. The presenters will share how they create different contexts for change and reflect on multiple transitions and cultures within families and with the agencies that support them, offering multiple perspectives for young people and the network involved. The presentations will include descriptions of work from 3 services:

• -   Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust which covers all of the UK;

• -   Knowing Our Identity Service (KOI) in Belfast which covers Northern Ireland; and

• -   Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

This multidisciplinary workshop is designed to provide a discursive space. Our discussions will be informed by the systemic model of service delivery and the inclusion of families from the outset. The network model used by... [ view full abstract ]

This multidisciplinary workshop is designed to provide a discursive space. Our discussions will be informed by the systemic model of service delivery and the inclusion of families from the outset. The network model used by both the UK services is also based on systemic principles of working collaboratively with other services. We will offer presentations in relation to specific family interventions and multi-agency interventions. Also included are case reports highlighting the cultural differences and their impact on the process families use to accept and support their young person. We will conclude with a discussion inviting contributions from as many participants of the multidisciplinary workshop as possible.  

We will refer to both qualitative and quantitative outcome measures from the standard battery which is used in all 3 clinics.Qualitative and quantitative data from feedback forms and service evaluation measures will also be used. [ view full abstract ]

• We will refer to both qualitative and quantitative outcome measures from the standard battery which is used in all 3 clinics.

• Qualitative and quantitative data from feedback forms and service evaluation measures will also be used.

The presentations will highlight the challenges and opportunities of working with families of gender diverse children and young people and the agencies that support them. We reflect on our range of existing models of family... [ view full abstract ]

The presentations will highlight the challenges and opportunities of working with families of gender diverse children and young people and the agencies that support them. We reflect on our range of existing models of family interventions and how these may need to change in light of changes to family structures and how this needs to inform our views of what constitutes a family. Our discussion will also focus on specific areas where further research is needed to guide clinicians, specifically in relation to making decisions about the kind of family intervention they may wish to incorporate into their clinical practice 

This multi-disciplinary workshop is designed to stimulate thinking and discussion about the design of our services and how we can meet the needs of families with gender diverse children and adolescents from different cultures... [ view full abstract ]

This multi-disciplinary workshop is designed to stimulate thinking and discussion about the design of our services and how we can meet the needs of families with gender diverse children and adolescents from different cultures and contexts. The objective being to share our learning and examples of best practice which best meet the needs of families who present to specialist gender development services.