Parenting Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Young People: Implications for Holistic Family Intervention
Tracks
Ballroom 1 - In Person & Online
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 |
11:25 AM - 12:05 PM |
Overview
Dr Zalia Powell, University Of The Sunshine Coast
Details
Presentation Key Learnings:
1. Targeted support is needed to respond to the unique parenting challenges experienced by parents of transgender and gender diverse children and young people
2. Access to relevant and timely information is needed to aid parental decision making and empower parents and their children to seek and receive appropriate services and supports.
3. Opportunities to connect to other parents at all stages of the parenting journey may be of benefit to support and upskill parents - thus nurturing the child/parent relationship.
Speaker
Dr Zalia Powell
Lecturer In Social Work
University Of The Sunshine Coast
Parenting Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Young People: Implications for Holistic Family Intervention
Abstract
Dr Zalia Powell will present emerging findings from a current study ‘Parenting Through Transition: Lived Experiences of Parenting Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Young People’. In recent years, children and young people who experience gender incongruence between their birth sex have been the focus of media attention, policy and practice changes, and multidisciplinary research. Due to their disproportionate risk of self-harm, depression and suicidality, increasing family support of gender diverse youth has become a key focus of intervention. Despite growing community awareness of the needs of this vulnerable group, gender diverse youth and their families continue to navigate a complex myriad of challenges, including at an individual, family, community and societal level. Current knowledge suggests that the parenting role is likely influenced by a child/young person’s change in gender identity, however, little is known about how this experience is perceived and navigated by parents, with most research exploring the experience from the gender diverse person’s perspective only. Using qualitative photovoice methodology, this presentation shares findings about the experience of raising a gender diverse child from the parent perspective. Findings suggest a complex interplay of psychosocial impacts on parents, their private and public lives, social roles and relationship with their gender diverse child which informs future practice, policy and research for working with gender diverse families and responding to the critical mental health vulnerabilities of many transgender and gender diverse children and young people.
Biography
Dr Zalia Powell is a social worker, UniSC lecturer and early career researcher with a particular interest in health and wellbeing for children, youth and families. Zalia’s social work practice framework is shaped by critical feminist perspectives, strengths-based practice and child and family centred approaches that consider individual and family experiences within broader systems of oppression, privilege, societal values and equity of resources. Zalia’s research is focused on the lived experience of marginalised children, women and families whose voices are often absent in research and policy. Zalia has published and presented internationally on perinatal mental health, parenting and gender identity.
Host
Julia Cutler
Senior Event Manager
AST Management
Shinade Hartman
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AST Management
Presenter
Zalia Powell
Lecturer In Social Work
University Of The Sunshine Coast
Session Chair
Alexander Dalton
Peer Researcher | Research And Evaluation Officer Of The Trans And Gender Diverse Service
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