Purple Appendix (From Transcend, A Parent’s Guide)
State and Territory education department support for trans, gender diverse and non-binary students
Knowing about policy and legislation which supports your child will be very helpful for when you approach your school. It is a good idea to print out the relevant documents, read and highlight the sections that you think are most applicable. Take these with you to the school so that you can use them if the school is not responding as they should be.
There are also links here to the human rights and/or equal opportunity commissions in your state or territory, they will be a helpful source of advice and information and may also be able to provide you with advocacy assistance.
NATIONAL RESOURCES:
The Student Wellbeing Hub
Funded by the Federal government, it is a resource hub for parents, teachers and students to build safe, inclusive and connected school communities that
promote wellbeing and learning.
A guide for schools about supporting a student to affirm their gender at school: studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/educators/resources/supporting-a-student-to-affirm-or-transitiongender-identity-at-school
The Australian Student Wellbeing Framework, is based on evidence that demonstrates the strong association between safety, wellbeing and learning.
The language in this booklet will be helpful if you are needing to advocate to the school about inclusion, using a wellbeing framework.
studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/media/9310/aswf_booklet.pdf
All of Us is a Health and Physical Education resource for years 7 and 8 on the topic of gender and sexual diversity. Includes some great short videos of people talking about their experiences of being LGBTI.
studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/educators/resources/all-of-us-unit-guide
Justice Connect
Has a LGBTIQ resource hub with a series of fact sheets, including some with advice about your legal rights at school in each state and territory. Copy
this link and scroll to the LGBTIQ section.
justiceconnect.org.au/resources
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY:
Safe and Inclusive School Initiative
Funded by the ACT Education Directorate, it provides a range of supports to schools to develop their practice in areas such as supporting individual student needs, welcoming and celebrating community and family diversity.
The Initiative supports schools to build respectful school cultures where prejudice, discrimination, harassment and violence on the basis of gender presentation/ identity, intersex status or sexual orientation is unacceptable.
saisact.info
The Initiative provides schools with:
• Professional Learning Programs and other targeted training and information sessions
• Guidance for the identification and use of relevant high-quality teaching and learning resources and materials
• Provision of expert advice and support for schools
• Supporting leadership opportunities for students, staff and parents/carers
ACT Education Directorate
Has created the Safe and Supportive Schools Policy that provides guidance for Canberra public schools on promoting a safe, respectful and supportive
school community. They are currently in the process of developing additional resources to provide good advice to schools to support young people who wish to affirm their gender at school.
education.act.gov.au/publications_and_policies/School-and-Corporate-Policies/wellbeing/safety/safe-and-supportive-schools-policy
NEW SOUTH WALES:
Education Department
Advice to schools on supporting trans students: education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/rights-andaccountability/legal-issues-bulletins/bulletin-55-transgender-students-in-schools
Regional department of education contacts should you need extra support in your school:
education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/going-toa-public-school/finding-a-public-school
NSW Government Resources
Bias-based bullying fact sheet:
policies.education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/relateddocuments/bias-based-bullyingfactsheet.pdf
Information for parents if child is being bullied:
antibullying.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/My-child-is-being-bullied
NORTHERN TERRITORY:
No information about school support in the NT was able to be found at the time of writing. Below are links to services who may be able to help:
Prism
Darwin based support group for adolescents.
Phone: (08) 8931 5999
Email: headspacedarwin@anglicare-nt.org.au
NT AIDS and Hepatitis Council (NTAHC)
ntahc.org.au/contact
NT Health
Fact sheet for TGD young people
health.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/574255/TG-Brochure-YOUTH.pdf
Child & Adolescent Transgender Health Service Pathway diagram
health.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/574257/TG-Service-Pathways-CHILDADOLESCENT.pdf
QUEENSLAND:
Qld Human Rights Commission
A guide for trans and gender diverse students. It was developed in partnership between the LGBTI Legal Service, Legal Aid Queensland and
the Queensland Human Rights Commission, in consultation with the Queensland Children’s Gender Service, young people, parents and
educators.
qhrc.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/24629/QHRC_TransAtSchool_
forstudents.pdf
Qld Government Resources
General information about health and wellbeing in Queensland schools:
qld.gov.au/education/schools/health/support
SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
Department for Education
Has a policy on supporting trans students in SouthAustralian schools. The document also refers to the Gender diverse and intersex child and young people support procedure – which can only be accessed via Intranet. You would need a SA Education Department person or teacher to be able to access it. But good to know it is there.
education.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/supportinggender-diverse-intersex-sexually-diverse-childrenyoung-people-policy.pdf?v=1547522570
TASMANIA:
Department of Education
Guidline to support sexual and gender diversity in schools:
publicdocumentcentre.education.tas.gov.au/Documents/Guidelines-for-Supporting-Sexualand-Gender-Diversity-in-Schools-and-Colleges.pdf
VICTORIA:
Department of Education & Training - Safe Schools
School staff, parents and students can contact Safe Schools for:
• assistance in creating a safe and inclusive school environment
• advice on how to support LGBTI students
• advice on how to support you or your child, including where to go for other support services
education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/safeschools.aspx
To access policy guidance to support gender affirmation for students in Victorian schools copy this link:
www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/lgbtiq-studentsupport/policy
WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
WA Equal Opportunity Commission
Provides a useful guide for schools regarding the legal rights and responsibilities around transgender students in schools called Guidelines for Supporting Sexual and Gender Diversity in Schools
eoc.wa.gov.au/docs/default-source/communityprojects/gender-diversity-guidelines-inschools-20140829.pdf
This is a report about discrimination in schools in WA. This may be useful to the data in this report to advocate for your child, especially if the school says
that there is no bullying or discrimination.
eoc.wa.gov.au/community-projects/pastprojects/safe-schools-wa/about-safe-schools
This is a fact sheet produced by the Equal Opportunity Commission for parents to support them to respond to bullying
eoc.wa.gov.au/publications/fact-sheets/sexuality-and-gender-based-bullying-inschools---an-equal-opportunity-fact-sheetfor-parents-care-givers
HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSIONS
These are a great source of information and advice, and some may even be able to offer training to the school.
Australian Human Rights Commission
humanrights.gov.au/our-work/lgbti
ACT Human Rights Commission
hrc.act.gov.au/discrimination
NSW Anti-discrimination Commission
antidiscrimination.justice.nsw.gov.au
NT Anti-discrimination Commission
adc.nt.gov.au
Qld Human Rights Commission
qhrc.qld.gov.au
SA Equal Opportunity Commission
eoc.sa.gov.au
TAS Equal Opportunity
equalopportunity.tas.gov.au
Vic Human Rights & EO Commission
humanrights.vic.gov.au
WA Equal Opportunity Commission
eoc.wa.gov.au
For Schools - Diversity and inclusion training and advice:
This is by no means a definitive or extensive list. Some of these organisations may just be able to point you in the right direction to someone who can provide training. Every region is different, and if you are in a regional or rural area, it can be more difficult to find an appropriate trainer. Don’t forget the list of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commissions in Appendix 1 who might also be able to help.
If you are unable to find someone there are many great youtube videos that might help.
Also the education resource All of Us, although designed for year 7 and 8s, is actually a great resource for teachers to also learn about LGBTI diversity. This was written by the Safe Schools Coalition Australia and you can find this at the Student Wellbeing Hub.
Go to the All Of Us unit guide
You can also contact Transcend Australia as they may have more recent updates on training available in different areas, or be able to put you into contact with someone who knows.
Go to the Transcend contact page
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
A Gender Agenda
Will be able to provide localised advice and connections.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Gender Centre
Go to the Gender Centre's family support services
NORTHERN TERRITORY
NT AIDS and Hepatitis Council (NTAHC)
QUEENSLAND
Australian Transgender Support Association Queensland
Advice on locally available training.
True
Provides some training and education relating to schools and young people.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Shine SA
Provides a range of services to support schools to implement a whole school approach to relationships and sexual health education. Shine SA has a Memorandum of Operational Collaboration with the Department for Education South Australia to support schools in this area.
TASMANIA
Working It Out
Includes resources, counselling, education programs, and information sessions for students.
Go to the Working It Out website.
OTHER USEFUL WEBLINKS
Ygender
Victorian based peer led social support and advocacy group for trans and gender diverse young people. Their website has lots of resources including short videos about being trans/gender diverse.
Minus 18
Can provide training and have a range of resources and digital campaigns that enable others to champion inclusivity, no matter the location.
Reach Out
Not school or student specific, Reach Out provides articles and information.
QLife
QLife provides anonymous, LGBTI peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity,
gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. The website also has lots of resources called Qguides, it is not education or schools specific but still useful.
National phone counselling service (between3pm-12am). Phone: 1800 184 527.
National LGBTI Health Alliance
The Alliance is the national peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individualsthat provide health-related programs, services
and research focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people (LGBTI) and other sexuality, gender, and bodily diverse people and
communities.
Go to the LGBTI Health Website
Zoe Belle Gender Collective (ZBGC)
ZBGC’s website includes a national referral directory, online forum, and fact sheets on topics from housing to healthcare. They can also provide training and consultation on inclusive service delivery (Victoria only).