This is the text from one such letter from Central Consultants
Working effectively with transgender service users
3 October 2019, Leeds
Feedback from surveys of transgender people suggests that their experiences with public services do not meet their needs or expectations. It is therefore important that service providers are able to think beyond general concepts of equality and diversity to understand the needs of this very complex group.
There has also been a spike in hate crime against trans people, and debate – including within the LGBT community – about how far their rights extend.
Trans people have a gender identity which differs from that of their birth sex, and can take a wide diversity of forms. This complexity is one of the barriers which prevents service providers feeling confident in working with trans people.
Other barriers include insufficient training, a lack of useful guidance, and services which tend to be run along clear gender lines.
Criminal justice services, health, social care, education housing, and leisure services all need a working understanding of issues affecting trans people.
Working effectively with transgender service users is a learning day for all service providers which will offer the opportunity to get a good understanding of:
*what it means to be transgender
*particular issues which may be faced by trans young people and adults
- how services can be made more accessible and relevant to trans people
The facilitator is Aedan Wolton, a health advisor at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital and co-director of cliniQ, a health and wellbeing service for trans people in London. Identifying as trans himself, Aedan will provide a welcoming forum in which participants can feel at ease to ask the difficult questions.
Feedback from the March learning day rated it 100% as good/excellent.
We are starting to market this event early as it sold out last time.