Transgender children are being left in limbo as they wait for an identity service in Crumlin Children’s Hospital which still "doesn't exist yet."
The gender identity adolescent service situated in the children’s hospital is no longer receiving further referrals, according to the Transgender Equality Network of Ireland (Teni).
Teni have said the situation is “very concerning” and will impact up to 100 children.
The service in Crumlin previously relied on Gender Identity Development Service UK to provide psychological assessments.
But GIDS UK are no longer referring anyone to Crumlin children’s hospital.
This comes after a report on transgender healthcare was released in Ireland last year, it made a number of recommendations including that psychological support for those under the age of 18 should be provided and delivered by the Irish health service, rather than in the UK.
Teni CEO Éirénne Carroll told The Journal that they have been informed that the patients in question will now “be re-referred back to the Irish new service, which does not currently exist.”
She said: “This would mean that young people and their families that have already suffered a two-year wait to be seen by GIDS/UK, will potentially be waiting in limbo for a service that does not exist.”
This waitlist will impact between up to 100 families that have been dropped by the failure of the HSE to implement a functioning gender identity service within the HSE child and adolescent care service.
Carroll said: “This very concerning situation has transpired due mainly to the failure of the HSE, to develop and implement a proper Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to support the provision of care for young trans people in Ireland”.
“This MDT was highlighted as a key requirement in extending proper child and adolescent care to trans children in a recently published HSE report in December 2020.”
Carroll has previously called on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to provide “plans to ensure these young people and their families can immediately access the care they need.”
Yesterday, Teni wrote to parents to make them aware of the situation. The organisation plans to organise an online meeting for families affected to discuss their concerns.
For the latest news and breaking news visit dublinlive.ie/news.
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @DublinLive - the official Dublin Live Twitter account - real news in real time.
We're also on Facebook/dublinlive - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the capital.
