As part of HeadStart research, Year 11 students were asked gender identity and mental health questions. The key findings revealed cisgender boys reported the highest level of well-being, while young people who were questioning their gender identity reported the lowest level of well-being. Stress was highest among questioning participants and lowest for cisgender boys.
The Anna Freud Centre has created this useful booklet which explores some of the issues faced by LGBTQ+ young people and provides information about where they can get additional mental health support.
It’s important to ensure LGBTQ+ young people receive appropriate support to help them deal with these challenges and improve their well-being and mental health. You can learn more about supporting child mental health from the Safeguarding Networks resources.