IMPORTANT - PLEASE SHARE
The linked document is being circulated amongst NHS service providers for young trans people. It advises cessation of ALL medical intervention for transition but goes further. It suggests that if the patient or parents continue to access trans healthcare outside their system, they should be reported to social services with the implicit threat that the children will be taken from their parents.
IF YOU ARE A YOUNG TRANS PERSON OR A PARENT OF ONE, IT IS LIKELY UNSAFE TO ENGAGE WITH NHS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
@goatsarah my daughter was around 13 when she first opened up about being trans, when she was 16/17 we started looking at the options, and camhs was the first stop after being referred.
They were helpful and pleasant, but ultimately, pretty F’ing useless. We went private and while it’s still been a ‘journey’, things are good and she’s happy. Fuck transphobes, and shitty shit like this. My daughter is my priority, her happiness is paramount and NO ONE will change that.
@JamieR @goatsarah Exact same experience here. CAMHS recommended some group Zoom sessions but that's about it. I got the impression they were so overstretched, if the kid wasn't an immediate self harm risk they just didn't have the resources to do anything. We are also now going private but it sucks for the many people out there for whom that's not an option :(
@ian @goatsarah I think they do what they can, within limits, to meet bare minimum standard … if they get 6 months to respond to something, they’ll take 6 months, which is why they process with them could be 5 years before anything significant happens.
Yes, those fortunate enough can take the easier route and pay to go private, but I genuinely fear for those that don’t have that luxury, it’s heartbreaking