A qualitative study into how clinicians within a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service think about Gender Dysphoria and what their experiences are of working therapeutically with children and young people suffering from it.

Over the last decade a significant increase has occurred in referrals to the specialist Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) located at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. However, research into Gender Dysphoria (GD) specifically within children and young people (0-18 years) has not seen the same rise. In addition, more young people suffering with GD are also seen within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) across the United Kingdom. This study therefore aimed to explore how clinicians within a CAMHS think about GD and what their experiences are of working therapeutically with children and young people suffering from it. A literature review was conducted to enable learning and understanding of what theoretical and empirical knowledge has already been established within the field of GD. Special focus was placed on the psychoanalytic literature, due to the professional background of the researcher, alongside available empirical studies that consider the experiences of professionals working with individuals with GD. Second, a small-scale qualitative study was performed to explore the research questions, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve CAMHS clinicians from various professional backgrounds. The data analysis, utilising thematic analysis, yielded 12 themes and 45 sub-themes which are outlined, described and discussed in detail. The findings highlight the complexity, confusion and constant changes in diagnostic terms and definition of GD as well as the therapeutic work with young people suffering from it. One main finding was that possessing both theoretical and practical experiences is key, which the professionals interviewed stressed needs to be shared with others. A great appetite for further training, knowledge and discussions was noted alongside and in order to address the uncertainty being reported by the participants. The study concludes that, further research and training is required in the field of child and young people with GD.