Gender Care Clinic

The primary function of our interdisciplinary Gender Care Clinic is to provide information on medical options and a treatment plan for puberty blocking and medical transition. We strive to address the needs of our patients and families as fully as possible, however we are not able to provide ongoing mental health care or comprehensive social work support through our clinic. It is important that if individual and/or family therapy is needed, you connect with local community mental health supports. It would be a good idea to do this prior to your initial visit if warranted. During your appointment, our team may suggest other community-based services that may benefit your family. 

Our clinic takes an affirming approach to gender identity and care. Through ongoing assessment and discussions, we support the young person and family in deciding about options that can help the young person feel more comfortable in their body with the hope of decreasing feelings of gender dysphoria. 

The Gender Care Clinic (formely TYC) at SickKids was created in October of 2013 to provide medical care and support to transgender adolescents. We have an interprofessional team from the Divisions of Adolescent Medicine and Endocrinology consisting of: 

• Endocrinologist 
• Nurse Practitioner 
• Endocrine Nurse 
• Social Worker 
• Clinic Coordinator 
• Psychiatrist 
• Staff Physician 

This clinic works collaboratively with our community partners to ensure the most comprehensive and supportive care to our transgender and gender questioning youth and their families. 

The clinic offers valuable training to other medical and allied health care professionals, role modeling compassionate care, advancing scientific and clinical knowledge and preparing the next generation of leaders in the care of transgender children and youth. 

Referrals to the Gender Care Clinic should come from a primary health-care provider and be submitted online.  Learn more about our referral process [Care and Services > For HCP > Referring a patient].

Please note: we accept patients who have reached puberty and we are unable to accept youth who are already 17.

For additional information contact the Nurse Practitioner at 416-813-7654 ext. 203569. 

For appointments and referrals, call the Clinical Coordinator at 416-813-5097. 

If any urgent medical or mental health crises arise please access your local emergency room. 

Your first visit will be a general adolescent medicine assessment. Members of the team will meet with you (first with the youth and parents/guardians and then with the young person individually) to get to know you, understand your expectations and to develop an initial understanding of the adolescent’s well-being and gender identity. A treatment plan may begin to be developed; however, medications are rarely prescribed on the initial visit. It takes time for us to get to know the young person and the family and to decide together on future steps. Care of each person is individualized and it is not uncommon for initial discussions to focus on options for hormone blocking, with further medical options discussed on an ongoing basis.

Information you may find helpful

Rainbow Health Care  aims to help improve the health and well-being of LGBT2SQ+ people. 

GenderCreativeKids provides resources for supporting and affirming gender creative kids within their families, schools and communities.  

Central Toronto Youth Services (CTYS) is a community-based, accredited Children’s Mental Health Centre that serves many of Toronto’s most vulnerable youth. Check out their resource guide for parents of trans youth. 

See the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Guidelines for the Accommodation of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students and Staff.

PFLAG Canada is Canada's only national organization that helps all Canadians with issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. PFLAG Canada supports, educates and provides resources to all individuals with questions or concerns, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. See website for local chapters. 

The Youth Line is Ontario’s provincial LGBT peer support and info line at 1-800-268-9688. 

Trans Care BC supports children and youth exploring their gender identity.