Supporting transgender pupils in schools: guidance for education authorities and schools – revised

Support for transgender young people

In this section:

• Getting it Right for Every Child
• Confidentiality, information sharing and child protection
• Working with parents, carers and families
• How teachers can help transgender young people and their family relationships
• Support and referrals for transgender young people

This section includes advice on how best to support an individual young person in school, and covers some common concerns such as confidentiality and working with parents and carers.

Getting it Right for Every Child

As part of the Getting it right for every child approach, every child, young person and parent has a named person who can provide initial advice, information and support where requested, as well as access to wider support. The named person will usually be the Head teacher or deputy head teacher in primary schools or a promoted or principal teacher involved in personal support in secondary schools. The named person can consider the wellbeing needs of the child or young person and can discuss the provision of support to address any needs, including support for transgender pupils. Where needs are identified across a range of services, there should be a child’s plan where beneficial. The named person can arrange a lead professional to be responsible for co-ordinating and reviewing a child’s plan.

Any consideration of wellbeing should be holistic and based on the child or young person’s family and unique circumstances. This includes recognising their strengths and understanding factors that affect their resilience. This approach is supported through the National Practice Model^[61] and a range of tools which enable school staff to use a common language and approach with each other and with children, young people and parents.

While the aim of a named person is that there is someone there for every child, young person or parent if needed, there is no obligation to use the named person for support if a child, young person or parent would prefer to access information and support through another person or service.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 requires education authorities to identify, provide for and to review the additional support needs of their pupils. An additional support need is caused by a barrier to their learning and can be of short or long-term duration. As part of the Getting it Right for Every Child approach schools should consider the support that may be required in order to overcome any barrier to their learning. Further information on additional support for learning is available at page 55.

Confidentiality, information sharing and child protection

“I came out to one of my teachers and they told my guidance teacher that I'm trans even though I really didn't want them to. I wasn't ready.” Trans young person

Confidentiality and privacy is important to transgender young people. They can worry about people disclosing information about their gender identity to others, and/or about professionals taking action which they have not agreed to.

National Child protection guidelines^[62] require agencies and professionals, including teachers to follow particular procedures for confidentiality and information sharing. But, being transgender is not a child protection issue in itself. If there is a child protection issue, this should be specified and the school's child protection guidelines followed.

Good practice

• It is important to respect a young person's right to privacy^[63].
• Being transgender is not a child protection issue or wellbeing concern in itself^[64].
• Young people should be involved in all decisions affecting them and understand what is happening and why.^[65]
• If a young person wishes to 'come out' in a school setting, information may need to be shared. Teachers should consider who to tell and how; taking into account the young person's view and legal requirements on this.
• A transgender young person may not have told their family about their gender identity. Inadvertent disclosure could cause needless stress for the young person or could put them at risk and breach legal requirements. Therefore, it is best to not share information with parents or carers without considering and respecting the young person’s views and rights^[66].
• A transgender young person may wish to change schools as part of their transition process. Their previous name does not need to be shared with the new school. It is not necessary for all staff in a receiving school to know that the young person is transgender. Please see pages 19-20 for further information on school records.
• Young people find it increasingly difficult to maintain their privacy. Teachers may need to support young people if personal information becomes common knowledge though social media or online forums.
• If information about a young person's gender identity is to be made public, there should be an agreed procedure on how to respond to questions from other young people, teachers and parents/carers to ensure staff give consistent information. It will be helpful to make their parents and carers aware at an early stage whenever possible.

“My teacher worked with me on an email which was sent to all staff to let them know about my true name and gender. There were really positive responses to this which were shared with me and made me feel good.” Trans young person