Gender-Inclusive Supports for Children and Youth

Primary Care Provider

Parents and caregivers of trans, gender diverse and/or gender creative children and youth can begin exploring gender-affirming healthcare through their family doctor or primary care provider. You can visit Rainbow Health Ontario’s Service Provider Directory if they do not currently have a primary care provider or feel uncomfortable speaking with their current provider. 

Mental Health & Community Based Services

If you are looking for mental health or community-based services, you can review our youth-specific services list here. To explore services for parents and family members of trans and gender diverse children and youth, click here.

CHEO

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Gender Diversity Clinic is also a resource available to gender diverse children, youth and their parents. CHEO’s Gender Diversity Clinic includes nurses, social workers and physicians from the Adolescent Health and Endocrinology teams, who can provide support to families and children. 

Referrals to the CHEO Gender Diversity Clinic can be made through a family doctor, a school guidance counsellor or teacher, or a community partner (such as a community psychologist, the Youth Services Bureau, or Kind Space). If you don’t have a family doctor or community partner who can refer you, you can refer yourself by calling Adolescent Health at 613-737-7600 extension 3844.

Learn More About CHEO’s Diversity Clinic

Counselling and Community Services

There is a number of counselling and community services available for trans, gender diverse, and/or gender creative children in Ottawa and the surrounding areas. To download a comprehensive list of available services for youth in the Champlain region, download the Gender Diverse Youth Resource Guide here. To explore services for parents and family members of trans, gender diverse, and/or gender creative children and youth click here.

LGBT2SQ+ Youth Counselling
Centretown Community Health Centre

  • Centeretown CHC offers same day, single session counselling on Wednesdays from 12-6:30pm for youth ages 12-15 and their families.
  • To access these appointments email lgbt2sqwednesday@centretownchc.org
  • For more information, visit their LGBTQ+ and Trans Health page here. 

 

Youth Counselling
Carlington Community Health Centre

  • Offers counselling services for trans and gender diverse youth ages 12-14 living in the Ottawa area.
  • Youth are welcome to bring friends, family, allies, and other supports.
  • For more information, click here. 

 

Counselling and Peer Mentorship
Trans Wellness Ontario

  • Trans Wellness Ontario offers counselling and peer mentorship appointments available by phone or online.
  • Clients under the age of 16 require parent/guardian consent for counselling services.
  • Click here for more information.

2SLGBTQI+ Rainbow Families’ Art & Play Group

Family Services Ottawa

 

Jeunesse Idem

  • Francophone peer support and discussion group for LGBT youth in the Outaouais region.
  • You can learn more here. 

 

LGBTQ Social Gathering
Seaway Valley Community Health Centre

  • Offers a youth group for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals ages 12-18.
  • Provides support, education, and resources.
  • Allies and family members are welcome.
  • Visit their website to learn more.

 

LGBTQ2+ Youth Space
Orleans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre

  • Monthly bilingual youth drop-in space for LGBTQ2+ identified folks ages 13-18.
  • Click here to learn more. 

 

Queerios Weekly Youth Drop In
Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre

  • Offers a weekly drop-in social group for LGBTQ+* youth ages 12-18.
  • You can learn more here. 

 

Spectrum LGBTQ Drop-In
Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

  • Safe place for LGBTQ youth ages 12-23 who are unstably housed, live in poverty, or are living in the streets.
  • Space to connect with peers facing similar challenges in an environment of acceptance and respect.
  • To learn more, click here.

 

Transcend Drop-In Trans Youth Group
Family Services Ottawa

 

GenderQuest
Kind Space

  • A diverse, peer-led social group for those at any stage of transition.
  • Come share, learn, and socialize in a safe space.
  • Not youth-specific, but all trans, two-spirit, and gender-diverse people are welcome to attend.
  • To learn more, click here.

Support Group for Parents and Caregivers
Family Services Ottawa

 

Families in Transition 
Ten Oaks

  • A program for families that are new to supporting their trans or gender diverse child or youth (ages 5-18). 
  • The FIT Program is a 10-week group that meets once per week for 2 hours over zoom. 
  • The group provides parents with information about gender identity and trans issues, strategies for improving communication and connection with trans/gender questioning young people, and general support in parenting a trans/gender-questioning youth.
  • For more information, click here.

 

Canadian Parents of Trans & Gender Diverse Kids

  • Confidential peer support group for parents and guardians of gender diverse children, youth, and adults, including those who are two-spirit, transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, agender, gender fluid, gender creative, or gender-questioning.
  • Click here for more information.

Ten Oaks Project

  • Offers summer camps for children and youth ages 8-17 from 2SLGBTQ+ identities, families, and communities.
  • Summer camp programming requires a fee.
  • Learn more about summer camp programming here.

 

Trans Children and Youth Swim Nights
Ten Oaks Project

  • Monthly swim night for gender creative, gender independent, genderfluid, genderqueer, two-spirit, intersex, agender, non-binary and gender diverse chilren and youth ages 0-24 and their families.
  • Click here to learn more.

 

Pay-It-Forward Binder and Gaff Program
Venus Envy

  • Program offering binders and gaffs for free for those in need of these items.
  • To learn more, click here. 

 

In-Transition Clothesline
PFLAG Renfrew County

  • Program that assists transgender individuals with clothing.
  • Learn more by clicking here.

In partnership with: