Draft 2013 text for Tavistock leaflet for children re GIDS service

[hoodathunkit]

I found this material re the draft text of 2 leaflets, one for children and one for their families carers.

I think it is always useful to have such material easily to hand for the purposes of thoughtful reflection and critical analysis.

While the below text is from a draft version of the leaflet I think it is worth copying and storing here as it reflects the thinking on the issue of the GIDS service

The below text is from page 97 + of this cached PDF file title

Council of Governors Agenda and papers of a meeting to be held
2.00pm – 4.30pmThursday 12th September 2013
Board room
Tavistock Centre
120 Belsize Lane
London, NW3 5BA

<a class="break-all" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ZBIX1TVI_zQJ:tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/documents/205/council-papers-2013-09.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=safari" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ZBIX1TVI_zQJ:tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/documents/205/council-papers-2013-09.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=safari

So here we have the draft text for the leaflet for children and teenagers (up to age 18) -

Please note that when I C&Pd the text it posted in an unformatted state so I have made spaces between words and also added spaces between sentences. There may be some errors re words not being properly separated and the formatting of the text may not be exactly the same as in the PDF file. I have made no alterations to the text and the words are reported verbatim.

The text reads as follows:

Item : 15
Title : Gender Identity Development Service

Leaflets Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to share our new service leaflets with the Board in order to facilitate discussion about our service at the meeting.

For : Discussion
From : Polly Carmichael, Director of GIDS

Gender Identity Development Service Draft New Patient Information Leaflets

1.Introduction

1.1 Following consultation with a group of service users, we re-developed our service leaflets following feedback we received. A former leaflet was amended and added to, to create two new leaflets – one for young people and one for parents/carers. Beforewe go to print, we have sought advice from families about these and will make final adjustments following feedback we receive

1.2 We would also welcome feedback from the Board and any suggestions for improvement.

2.Section One – New leaflet for young people

DRAFT
GENDER IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICE *

*The Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) is a highly specialist nationally designated service Lots of young people come to the Gender Identity Development service to talk about their feelings around gender. Some might feel uncomfortable with their assigned gender and others might be unhappy with the expectations people have for them to act 'like a boy' or a 'like a girl'. Some of these young people may go on to identify as transgender or gender variant, while others may come to identify themselves as boys, girls or people who are simply different.

Many adults who identify as transgender also had these feelings as a child or teenager. Lots of these adults speak about being unhappy as children and wish that their family or doctors had understood their feelings earlier. At the Gender Identity Development Service we think that it's important to help children and young people with these feelings, and to ensure that more people are aware of the difficulties faced by young people who have concerns or questions around their gender identity. We are a national highly specialist service. All of us have training and experience in talking to children and young people, and thinking about their wellbeing. The staff work closely together in order to make the most of different team members’ skills, to provide help and support to children and teenagers at the Gender Identity Development service.

So what service do we provide?

We see children and teenagers (up to the age of 18) who are experiencing difficulties in knowing what gender they may be or in knowing how to express their gender identity, or who feel that the gender that they were given at birth does not feel right.

We usually see young people along with their families or carers to discuss these issues. We hope to support young people’s gender identity development by exploring what it means for each individual and their family or carers who come to our service.

We think that relationships are very important and we look at the effects of your gender identity development within the family as well as in your social world (school, friends, and clubs).

We aim to create support around you as the young person. For instance, we work closely with other agencies involved with the young people and families we see, such as school, CAMHS (Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services) and others.

Who can access this service?

Children and teenagers (under 18) in the UK who feel they would like some help exploring their gender identity. We accept referrals from across the UK. We are usually contacted first by local services such as CAMHS, Children’s Services and Schools and by other professionals such as GP’s.

Young people and their families or carers can also contact the service directly to discuss a possible referral. We have services in London and in Leeds and hold an outreach clinic in Exeter on a regular basis.

Who are we in the GIDS?

The staff at the GIDS have different professional backgrounds, but they all work together to deliver the same service.

Our team is composed of:
•Child and adolescent psychiatrists
•Clinical psychologists•Social workers
•Child and adolescent psychotherapists
•Paediatric endocrinologists: medical doctors for children and young people who have expert knowledge about the physical changes associated with growing up (hormonal changes)
•Clinical Nurse Specialists: nurses with further training in this or a related area
•Trainees: people usually at the end of their professional training or doing extra training

What happens when young people and their families come to the service?

To begin with, we offer an assessment, which is usually 3 to 6 appointments with one or two professionals from the team.

The assessment aims to explore and understand your gender identity difficulties, what these mean for you and what would be helpful to support you.

To complete the assessment, we sometimes meet with your school and other services you have contact with to see how the other people involved can also support you and your family or carers.

After the assessment is finished, there are many options. What happens next will depend on your age, your gender experiences and the support you're already receiving.

What are the options?

After the assessment, you and your family or carers may be offered support and guidance from our team for as long as needed (up to the age of 18).

The support and guidance we provide is tailored to each young person and their family.

We see a range of different gender identities and expression and the gender outcomes for the young people we see are various and individual. We also aim to ease emotional, behavioural and relationship troubles associated with gender identity difficulties.

We often work alongside local services such as CAMHS who can provide additional support for you and your family. We can offer, as agreed between the clinicians and young people and their families:
• therapeutic exploration with the child/young person
• exploratory family discussions
• family therapy
• individual child psychotherapy
• professional consultations
• parents’ groups
• young persons’ groups
• occasional review of the young person’s gender identity development over time
• hormone blockers
• cross-sex hormones after a young person has been on hormone blockers for at least a year and is over the age of 16

Hormone Blockers

After your initial assessment meetings, depending on your age and what you want to explore, you may have a meeting with a doctor called a paediatric endocrinologist, who specialises in hormones in children and teenagers.

Sex hormones are what make your body gradually develop during puberty. The doctor will discuss your feelings around any physical changes you have experienced.

This means that young people can ask questions about what support may be possible to help them manage their feelings about their body as they're growing up.

One of the options may be for you to be prescribed hormone blockers, which will stop the production of sex hormones and so pause puberty for as long as you take them.

Blockers are usually given by injection once every 1-3 months.

Blockers are considered to be a fully reversible treatment, but for long term health reasons they cannot be taken indefinitely.

Taking hormone blockers can allow time for you to think about and explore your feelings about your gender identity, without you having to worry about the on-going effects of sex hormones on your body.

Generally, young people can be prescribed hormonesblockers from the age of 15. If you're under 15, you may be able to see a paediatric endocrinologist and be prescribed hormone blockers with the agreement of both of your parents.

This is done under a research project and can be discussed as an option, if appropriate. If the young person decides to meet with the paediatric endocrinologist, they will be referred by their Tavistock clinician to the endocrinologists who work with our team.

It is important that they also stay in touch and meet regularly with the Tavistock professionals in London or Leeds who first saw them, who, when possible, will also attend the endocrine clinics.

The paediatric endocrinologists are part of the GIDS team and referrals are made to the endocrine clinics by the Tavistock clinicians.

If the young person has been on the blocker for a year or more and is over the age of 16, a decision can be made about carrying on with the blocker on its own, stopping physical treatment or adding cross-sex hormones to the blocker.

Cross-sex hormones are partially reversible and will begin to masculinise your body (make your body more male) or feminise your body (make your body more female).

The timing of physical treatment is individual within our agreed protocols. We can continue to see you until the age of 18.

The Gender Identity Development Service will discuss with you a transition to an adult gender identity service and support this if it’s what you want.

There are a number of adult gender services in the UK, generally available for people over 17 or 18 who are transgender or who feel they have problems with gender identity.

Confidentiality

We believe that what is discussed in our service is private and confidential, but it can be useful to share some information with the family, school and other services so that our young people receive more help and support.

This will be discussed with you and your family before we share anything. The only exception is if we feel that there is a risk you might harm yourself or that someone else may be at risk of harm, in which case we would need to tell someone about it.

Different access arrangements for people with special needs

The Tavistock Centre has lifts to all floors, and there is an accessible toilet on the ground floor next to the library. If you are in a wheelchair and would like some help with the lift, do not hesitate to ask at reception.

There are induction loops on the telephones for patients with hearing difficulties in the Tavistock Centre and sign language interpreters are also available.

If English is not your first language, we can also provide interpreters.

If you have any concerns regarding access, and to find out about access arrangement for people with special needs at the Leeds base, please contact the GIDS service administrator.

How to contact us

Please contact our service administrator on +44 (0)20 938 2030/1 for any general enquiries about our service, or go to our website www.tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/genderidentityissues

Address for referral

Dr Polly Carmichael
Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Clinical Director
Gender Identity Development Service
Tavistock Centre
120 Belsize Lane
London NW3 5BA

If you wish to use a referral form, this can be found on our website: www.tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/genderidentityissues

Who can be contacted if questions about treatmentThe Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is here to help with any questions, concerns or complaints that you may have about your treatment. Please contact our PALS officer on 020 8938 2523 or email on pals@tavi- port.nhs.uk.

Travel expenses

You may be eligible to have your travel expenses paid. Information will be sent with your first appointment letter.

How To Reach Us?

Please insert a map of the Tavistock centre
Tube/ London Underground
We are located near the following tube stations:
• Swiss Cottage - 5 minute walk (Jubilee Line)
• Finchley Road - 10 minute walk (Jubilee & Metropolitan Line)
• Belsize Park - 15 minute walk (Northern Line).

Overground/ National rail
Finchley road and Frognal (London Overground)
South Hampstead (Euston Link)

Bus routes
There are a number of bus routes.13, 31, 46, 82, 113, 268, C11 (all go through Swiss Cottage)13, 82, 113 (all go through Finchley Road) 46 (through Fitzjohn's Avenue) 268 (through Belsize Avenue)

Arriving by car

There are no onsite car parking facilities for patients (unless bringing very young children to appointments) but there are several pay and display bays on the roads surrounding the clinic. If you plan to travel by car and wish to park in our child and family bays, please contact us in advance to avoid being told that you cannot park on the day of the appointment.

Leeds Base
If you live in the North of the UK, it is likely you will be offered an appointment at our Leeds base. Further information and a map will be sent with your first appointment letter.

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end of text

draft of parents and carers leaflet to follow when i have some time, later today probably

Isn't it funny how "partially reversible" leaves an entirely different impression to "partially irreversible"?

And if you cannot undo all effects, surely it is just plain... irreversible?

One of the things that struck me about the draft leaflet is the consultation process with service users (children and teens aged under 18)

Here is a C&P of a post I made on another thread (help a brother out) but I think it is relevant here

In the 1980s I was very involved in campaigning for the rights of lesbians and gay men and was acutely aware that sinister forces were attempting to appropriate narratives regarding sexual minorities and to pervert them into something evil.

I am specifically referring to the notorious Paedophile Information Exchange, which, as many of the older posters here will know, attempted to equate homosexuality with a sexual interest in children.

The narratives promoted by the PIE were encapsulated in a book called The Betrayal of Youth.

I have read some chapters of this book and not the book in its entirety, however the narrative promoted by the authors of the various chapters that I have read was one in which they claim that society is betraying and letting down children by not allowing them to express their sexual desires towards adults.

The book promotes the idea that children are oppressed by legislation that is there to protect them from the predatory advances of adults.

As someone who can remember my own childhood very well it is my impression that it is common for children to seek affection and cuddles from adults, especially when neglected and abused. It is also not uncommon for children to have crushes on adults.

It is my belief that children should be protected from predatory adults and that sexual relationships between children en and adults are always abusive and hurtful to the child.

Children may think that they want a grown up, romantic relationship with an adult, but if the adult engages in sexual activity with a child, the child is then left dealing not only with the complex, traumatic feelings associated with being sexually abused but also with a sense of guilt and complicity because of their initial romantic desires towards an adult who they loved.

It seems to me that that the rationale for treating children for gender dysmorphia bears many similarities with the narratives promoted by the PIE.

Both narratives depict children and young teenagers as having the maturity to consent to potentially damaging and violating interventions, whether sexual, as in the case of the PIE, or surgical, as in the case of the GIDS service.

I believe that it is important to listen to children's views and opinions, however children are children and should be protected from abuse whether by adults with a sexual interest in children, by clinical services conducting unethical experiments upon them, or by actors monetising children as social influences on youtube and other platforms.

Yes, it does. It credits children under ten with the supposed maturity to be able to make life-changing decisions.

Roll on the day that parents start getting sued by the kids who were transed. How long did the pro-PIE phase last for just out of interest?

There were various articles re PIE in the national press, many of them can be found today via google and the archive.

There was a fairly recent flurry of articles re PIE and the various groups and politicians who supported it.

While PIE no longer exists as an organisation (at least not to my knowledge) the various narratives attributing agency to children in issues relating to sexuality and gender continue to this day.

The trans debate is one in which such narratives are common, especially re the rights of children to identify as trans at an early age.

Another area is that of pseudo-spiritual movements, especially re "tantra" in which minors are attributed with sexual maturity at puberty due to "the laws of nature", which are perceived as unquestionable and true and of greater import than statutory laws to protect children.

So I am saying that the narratives promoted by the PIE are still there, they have simply taken on new forms.

To be clear, I never personally supported the PIE or believed their bullshit about children being able to consent to sex with adults.

Oh I know you don’t support it. I just know that during the 70s/80s this group was in the press, received funding, was invited to university campuses etc. I also think that some famous academic like Foucault were campaigning for lowering the age of consent. I was just interested in how long the group had any credibility.

The TRAs now say this is like the campaign for gay rights. While I think there are potential likenesses in terms of allowing everyone to live the way they want- there are huge differences in the link with children and the insistence on taking rights for other groups. I would say this has been pretty extreme for about 5 years now- around the time Caitlyn Jenner transitioned. Before that, there wasn’t this aggressive campaigning although maybe it’s just because I didn’t notice it. But I never came across anyone saying eg that it was hateful to talk about female biology.

I guess at the heart of it I just want to know how long I have to put up with this.

The issue re the age of consent at the time is complicated because the age of consent for gay males was 21.

Thus a 21 year old man with a 20 year old boyfriend could be charged with sexual offences against a child.

I think that many people wanted to support the lowering of the age of consent for gay men to be equal to that for heterosexuals but did not support the abolition of the age of consent as proposed by the PIE.

Yes, OP, that’s not what I meant though. Totally agree with same age of consent for heterosexual sex and same-sex sex. Foucault wanted the age of consent scrapped or lowered extremely. He basically advocated sex with children but now the academy fete him as a hero.

Plenty of people were involved with campaigns to abolish the age of consent and / or to normalise sexual relations between adults and children.

This link is highly informative

I have archived the link because of concerns regarding the author's promotion of discredited SRA conspiracy theorists such as Tim Tate however he has done a good job in making some of the primary sources (pages from betrayal of youth) available

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170308053711/ianpace.wordpress.com/2014/07/05/betrayal-of-youth-1986-including-the-contributions-of-middleton-owens-faust-tatchell/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20170308053711/ianpace.wordpress.com/2014/07/05/betrayal-of-youth-1986-including-the-contributions-of-middleton-owens-faust-tatchell/

Just an example of how the narrative of "empowering" children can be used as a way of condoning sexual abuse, in this instance the sexualised form of new age "tantra"

The below text is from an archived website (now defunct) of a female "diking"

" I am trained as a dakini: a tantric priestess who in ancient times was assigned the task of teaching young boys and girls in India 'the sacred arts'. Very much like taking math or science, children learned the sacred sensual arts in preparation for their marriage day. It encompasses many lessons that engage the body and soul to partake fully in the sensual. It is the detailed study of all things sensual and arousing as a means to channeling your mental energy and have total control over one's body and to eventually channel it in sync with another person. This is accomplished only when we engage all of our senses in the arousal process and are completely unblocked from stress, worry, anxiety, blame, guilt, and shame. This practice originated thousands of years ago in India and has taken up as a new interest in a Westernized society, similar to yoga, pilates and other eastern-based philosophies."

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130603075931/heartachehelper.com/services.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20130603075931/heartachehelper.com/services.html

There is so much more to write about this, it needs separate threads, just including it here for those who are interested in the various ways in which children's rights and empowerment get mixed up with the sexual exploitation of children

please excuse auto-correct

"diking" should read as "dakini"