Transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) youth face significant obstacles to having their psychological and physical needs understood and met. Their first obstacle is often within their own homes with parents lacking education and awareness of how to best meet their children’s needs. It is not uncommon for parents to differ in their responses to learning that their child is TGE. These differences can become a focus of child custody disputes that require family court professionals (FCPs) to be educated and understand best practices for these children to make custody decisions that are in the best interest of the children and not based on bias or misinformation. Information on best practices and how FCPs can best support these children will be provided. Resources available in Missouri for these families will also be discussed.
Speaker: Dr. Catherine B. Hasler, Counseling and Assessment for Behavioral Health, Inc., St. Louis