Hormone or Sex Change Treatment for Transgender Children
If your transgender child seeks to commence irreversible hormone treatment (estrogen or testosterone) or other sex change operations, permission may be required from the Family Court before commencing those treatments. At the time of writing this article, due to the legislation currently in place, parents do not have the authority to consent to those procedures for their children (even if both parents are in agreement).
When applying to Court, we recommend that you seek legal advice to ensure that you are providing the Court with the relevant information from your child as well as the relevant medical information the Court needs to consider. Information the Court needs to be made aware of includes but is not limited to:
- Wishes of the child;
- Mental health concerns for the child and/or supports in place for the child;
- Medication the child is currently taking;and
- Proposal by the child’s medical team for the proposed hormone treatment and/or other treatment.
The Court is required, as its paramount consideration, to consider the best interests of the child and use its discretion to determine if the proposed treatment is in the best interests of the child.
At present, many people in the legal profession and the medical profession find this process unnecessary and frustrating but until there is statutory change, this method of applying to Court is the only means in which your child can commence hormone treatments.
If you would like to know more, contact Claire Naidu & Co, Lawyers and Mediators. Click here for our contact details.
Note: This blog does not constitute legal advice and Claire Naidu & Co is not responsible for any reliance upon its contents in the absence of legal advice being provided to you in conference or in writing concerning your specific circumstances.