July 17, 2019

gender dysphoria in children and young people – what goes on at the Gender Identity Development Service?

When children and young people feel distress about their gender identity, how are they supported?  The number of referrals to services for these young people have been increasing worldwide over the last few years.

The Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is the only NHS-funded clinic in Britain for children and young people with Gender Dysphoria.  This topic has been in and out of the news headlines, and is seen as controversial in some quarters.  Criticism from some individuals and groups suggests clinics act too quickly to diagnose and offer treatment, while young people and their families seeking help, and other campaign groups, have been critical that the process is too slow and that waiting lists are too long.

To try and step away from the politics, and focus instead on the science and evidence, we’ve invited experts from the Gender Identity Development Service (or ‘GIDS’), the only NHS-funded service of its kind, to speak to science and health journalists about GIDS’s approach to supporting these young people.

Please note this is a background briefing, so there is no specific news peg – but this is an opportunity for science and health journalists to come and hear from experts working in the service, and to have your questions answered.

Come to the SMC to hear the scientists and clinicians at the forefront of this area discuss aspects such as:

– what is Gender Dysphoria, and why are we seeing an increase in referrals in children and young people?

– what is the process when a new patient arrives at the doors of the clinic?

– what are the options and how are those options discussed?

– what research is currently underway at the GIDS to advance our understanding of Gender Dysphoria in children and young people?

Speakers included:

Dr Polly Carmichael, GIDS Director and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Bernadette Wren, Dr Bernadette Wren, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Gender Identity Development Service, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Una Masic, Research Psychologist, Gender Identity Development Service, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust