A toolkit has been launches to help schools support trans and non-binary students.
Manchester charity The Proud Trust has launched its inclusion toolkit today to coincide with international trans day of visibility – 31 March.
The toolkit will advise educators on how to correctly refer to trans students, offering guidance on deadnaming and pronoun use, as well as a host of other recommendations.
Liam Swanston, senior manager of the proud trust, said: “There’s an apprehension from education providers that they don’t want to get something wrong, so they don’t do anything.
“What this toolkit will give them is a real practical and in-depth way to get the information they need to support students.”
This comes after research conducted alongside Manchester Metropolitan University found 90% of school staff wanted more training to help them support trans and non-binary students.
They also found that only 46% of educators believe they could confidently support a young person who came out as trans.
The toolkit was developed in collaboration with students, educators, and parents, centring its advice around the lived experiences of trans students.
According to Swanston, the previous government drafted advice for schools on supporting trans and non-binary students, but this draft was never developed into a full set of guidelines.
The Proud Trust toolkit aims to plug this gap, offering positive advice for educators where the government’s draft guidance only offers a list of don’ts.
The toolkit is also legally sound, so educators know they can follow its advice confidently.
Swanston said: “It answers all the questions that teachers come to us and ask.
“It’s a real positive for practical inclusion in schools.”
Swanston believes that educators feel they do not understand trans issues – less so than they understand other aspects of the LGBTQIA+ community.
This is due in part to media depictions of trans students, that often portray them in a way that young people say is not typical.
Although the toolkit was developed in collaboration with Manchester schools, the advice is available for use by all schools in the country.
Featured image courtesy of The Proud Trust
Join the discussion