Gender Identity Practitioner Toolkit
The context of this toolkit.
The PDSCP Executive (which has now dissolved due to the separation of the Pan Dorset Safeguarding Board) requested a piece of work in relation to children and young people who are non-binary, transgender or questioning their gender.
There was a particular concern about whether professionals can understand the needs of these young people and work with them effectively. There was a concern whether these young people are being effectively safeguarded and whether there were sufficient resources to meet their and their families’ needs including mental health needs.
The work would sit alongside other work in the partnership. Following a recommendation from a recent Dorset learning review regarding ‘Ashley’, the Joint Commissioning Board had been asked to consider establishing an effective multi-agency ‘pathway’ for children and young people around gender identity, including trans and non-binary using the CASS review as a template for action. This should include support services to parents and care givers. This action has been tasked to the Joint Commissioning Board to undertake and is not within the scope of this toolkit.
This toolkit is therefore aimed at practitioners working in a variety of services having direct contact with young people, who are not specialist gender identity services. For example, family workers, youth workers, social workers, foster carers, school nurses, police.
It is not guidance and it is not legal advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for guidance or legal counsel on any subject matter.
This is a reflective tool, the aim of which is to increase practitioners’ confidence in using their existing skills to listen to and engage with young people who want to talk about and explore their gender identity with a safe and trusted adult, and to engage with them in a respectful way and not to unintentionally cause emotional harm or distress.
It is intended to be used alongside a variety of sources of guidance, not to replace them, and encourages you to seek out the current guidance from your own organisation and service area. Your own organisations guidance should take priority. We have not included these in our toolkit as they are frequently updated.
This toolkit does not replace specialist assessment, clinical evaluation, or intervention. It is not a diagnostic tool and must not be used to determine whether a young person should socially or medically transition.
The Cass Review and current NHS policy emphasise that assessment and decision-making relating to gender-related distress must be carried out by appropriately trained multidisciplinary specialists.
Practitioners using this toolkit should focus on listening, safeguarding, and supportive exploration, and always refer to specialist services when clinical concerns, persistent distress, or complex presentations are identified.
This toolkit has been co-produced with young people, to hear their voices and what they want adults supporting them to know about how they see their identity and how we can best help them.
