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Whilst in recent times there has been an increasing interest in the popular media in families with gender variant children, there is still a paucity of academic research into the experience of parenting a pre-pubescent child with gender identity issues. Gender dysphoria in young children engenders emotive reactions in adults meaning that social workers need to be aware of the various discourses surrounding gender identity in order to work sensitively with families affected. This research explores highly sensitive and intimate aspects of family life, requiring parents to talk and think about difficult issues and explores how it might feel for families to parent a child with gender identity issues. The psychosocial research method of Free Association Narrative Interviews was used in order to gather the data which was then coded and analysed drawing on a constructivist version of grounded theory. Five key themes relating to the process of mourning emerged from the data: loss, uncertainty, ambivalence, being unable to think and acceptance. Recommendations for both social work and clinical practice are also offered.

Abstract:In recent years, the experience of gender dysphoria has gained public prominence through an explosion of sensationalised interest in the popular media. However, childhood gender dysphoria remains poorly understood and both parents and children often find themselves having to educate professionals around them. This not only creates a sense of disconnect between family and professional, but also means that social workers can often be unaware of the myriad of competing perspectives that seek to explain gender variance. This review of the literature seeks to provide interested social workers with an overview of gender dysphoria, current research in the field and theoretical paradigms, with a view to promoting understanding and better practice with families in this little understood field.

English A massive earthquake devastated the city of Bam in Iran in 2003. The survivors became rapidly disenfranchised from the relief efforts and social capital diminished significantly. This article details the breakdown in social capital and links are made between the sustainment of social capital and the social work role. French En 2003, un tremblement de terre de grande magnitude a dé vasté la ville de Bam en Iran. Les survivants ont vite é té mis à l'é cart des efforts de relè ve et le capital social a diminué de façon significative. Cet article rend compte de l'effritement du capital social et é tablit des liens entre le maintien du capital social et le rôle du travail social. Spanish En 2003 un fuerte terremoto devastó la ciudad de Bam, Irán. A los supervivientes se les cortó muy rápidamente la ayuda de emergencia y como consecuencia el capital social disminuyó significativamente. Se describe el deterioro del capital social y se conexiona el trabajo social con el sostenimiento del capital social.

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