Supporting Transgender and Gender Creative Youth 11 & Under in Social Systems

Kelsey Pacha

Training Description

This training will educate providers about diagnostic criteria, gender identity frameworks, social transition strategies, and outcomes for youth who express a desire to transition their gender under 11 years of age. Participants will explore how to support children, caregivers, and other providers with gender questioning and gender creative children, while engaging ethical and diagnostic concerns. 

Learning Objectives

• Compare and contrast four models of gender identity development and analyze them in context.
• Distinguish between transgender, gender nonconforming, and gender creative children.
• Define Gender Dysphoria and Gender Identity Disorder (DSM-5.)
• Explore the concept of social transition and its impact on gender questioning children. 
• Discuss possibilities for legal and/or medical transition among children.
• Review laws protecting transgender and gender expansive children in the foster care system in CA.
• Review Ehrensaft’s six gender tasks for children and the ten tasks adults must complete to support them.
• Discuss community and clinical resources for caregivers of gender questioning children.

Agenda

9:00 - 9:10 Introductions: name, gender pronoun, one thing you wish to learn. Community agreements, agenda. Participants submit questions.

9:10 - 9:45 Review foundational premises—define sex assigned at birth, gender expression, and gender identity. Review research on transgender youth in foster care and health disparities. 

9:45 - 10:00 Discuss impact of other intersectional identities on children and families.

10:00 - 10:30   Review gonadal sexual development and research about biological factors’ contribution to gender nonconformity and/or transgender identity.

10:30 - 10:45 Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

10:40 - 11:10 Review traditional models of gender identity development (Kohlberg, Bem, etc.) and discuss limitations of these models for gender creative and trans children.

11:10 - 11:40 Explore more recent models of transgender identity development (Diamond, Veale, etc.)

11:40 - 12:10 Discuss history of treating intersex, transgender, and gender nonconforming children medically (Money, Blanchard, etc.)

12:10 - 12:40 Lunch (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

12:40 - 12:40 Define DSM-5 diagnoses related to gender identity in children and youth.

12:40 - 1:10 Define social, medical, and legal transition and discuss their relevance for children.

1:10 - 1:25 Research on supporting trans children’s resiliency (use of correct name, pronoun, gender-segregated facilities, etc.)

1:40 - 2:15 Group activity: evaluate case snapshots of children for possible diagnosis, interventions, needs for community and provider support.

2:15 - 2:30 Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

2:30 - 2:50 Review laws that protect trans and gender expansive children in foster care, school, and social systems.

2:50 - 3:15 Presenter shares best practice recommendations and community resources. 

3:15 - 3:25 Presenter models how to fill out Gender Support Plan.

3:25 - 3:50 Groups collaborate on a case study and fill out a Gender Support Plan for each client.

3:50 - 4:20 Group share-out.

4:20 - 4:30 Final Q&A and Evaluations.

Meet Our Trainer

Kelsey Pacha is a queer-identified transman who has worked with LGBTQ people for 15years, primarily in non-profit settings. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds an M.A. in Religion and Psychology, a Master of Divinity, and a Certificate in Sexuality and Religion from Pacific School of Religion, located in Berkeley, CA.Kelsey is passionate about educating would-be allies and empowering LGBTQ people through educational trainings. He has offered LGBTQ inclusivityand cultural humilitytrainings for corporations, clinicians, non-profits, schools (preschool-college age), senior facilities, and for providers working with system-involved youth. He has also developed curricula for LGBTQ youth programs, faith communities, and presented at conferences across the country. Kelsey is the Board PresidentofTrans Bodies,Trans Selves,which publishes a 649-page resource guide by and for the trans*, genderqueer, and gender-nonconforming communities. He is currently writing a chapter, editing another, and serving as the Survey Editor for the second edition of the book, to be released in June 2021.

This course meets the qualifications for (6.5) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.