Background

In 2003 Professor Garry Warne and Associate Professor Campbell Paul received the first referral to the Royal Children’s Hospital for a young person with gender dysphoria. Since 2009 there has been an increasing number of referrals for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents up to 17 years who are gender diverse or experience gender dysphoria. Following the retirement of Professor Garry Warne in 2012, Associate Professor Michelle Telfer was appointed as Director of the RCH Gender Service and a service structure was created. By 2018 the demand for the service had significantly increased to more than 250 referrals per year and, in 2020, the service received an additional 473 new referrals.

Funding

To address the increased demand for a child and adolescent gender service specific funding was awarded by the State Government to the RCH to – build a multidisciplinary team that can provide a holistic approach to reducing the waitlist.

Goal

The RCH Gender Service aims to improve the physical and mental wellbeing outcomes of children and adolescents who experience gender dysphoria.

Program logic model

The RCH Gender Service has updated the program logic model to articulate how the expanding multidisciplinary service currently looks. 

Program Logic Model