Our vision is to improve the healthcare, wellbeing and overall outcomes for transgender and gender diverse young people and their families.

It is estimated that 2-3 per cent of young Australians identify as transgender or gender diverse (collectively referred to as trans), which is around 100,000 people between the ages of 10 and 24 years. There has been an ongoing rise in referrals of trans young people to specialist gender services in Australia and internationally, therefore providing optimal and accessible clinical care for trans young people is critical.  

A recent community-based survey of 859 Australian trans youth found that three-quarters had been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety, and nearly half having attempted suicide. Poor mental health can be linked to gender dysphoria as well as experiences of social rejection and discrimination. There is increasing evidence that supportive clinical care significantly improves mental health and wellbeing among trans youth, yet many of these young people lack access to gender-affirming healthcare. 

Previously, our team released the first-ever clinical guidelines specific for transgender children and adolescents. Still, there is a need for more robust, co-designed research to inform clinical practice in this field. We are therefore conducting a range of research projects, including studies exploring: 

  • Different models of gender-affirming care between services
  • Group mental health interventions for trans young people 
  • Common and unique experiences of gender diversity among trans young people. 

The overall aim of our program is to produce high-quality evidence to improve the healthcare, wellbeing, and overall outcomes of trans young people and their families. Our research activities are actively developed in consultation with our community advisory groups, which includes young trans people and their families. 

Ken Pang and Charlotte

Image: Charlotte and Associate Professsor Ken Pang

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