Thousands of children grappling with transgender issues have been turning to Childline for help.

Despite less stigma surrounding the issue the charity says callers as young as 11 have reported problems finding someone they can go to for advice and support.

"We held 2,796 counselling sessions last year - an average of eight per day - that's the highest numbers since we started recording those figures," NSPCC senior supervisor Alex Gray told KentOnline.

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"Children as young as 11 are contacting us and speaking about the impact of feeling transgender and things like bullying and how that affects them.

"This isn't an issue that affects one sex more than the other so we do want to encourage more boys to speak out about what's happening and about how they're feeling.

"It is difficult enough growing up these days with all the pressures on young people and I think when you're starting to question your gender it can be an extremely confusing time.

'If I'd admitted how I felt I'd have been beaten with sticks'

"What we hear at Childline from them is that often when they try to speak out there isn't that support there for them.

"If young people don't feel listened to or they start to feel isolated in dealing with some of these issues what we've found is that it can lead to mental health issues, some physical problems such as eating disorders, self-esteem issues, and self harm."

Youngsters aged between 12 and 15 are most likely to call Childline to speak about transgender issues or gender dysphoria (where a child feels trapped in the wrong body).

It also hears from children whose parents or relatives are transgender or undergoing the transition from one sex to another, and from young people who consider themselves gender-fluid or non-binary in that they don't identify themselves as having a particular fixed gender.

Mr Gray says it is important not to judge youngsters or blame them for how they are feeling.

"We want to create that safe space for young people to speak out about what can be an extremely confusing and challenging time before it gets to the point where they are engaging in things like self harm," he said.

"Schools are becoming better and better about dealing with these types of issues.

"Raising awareness and promoting inclusivity, for example in personal, social and health education (PHSE) lessons, is really important to ensure young transchildren don't feel excluded from school or wider society or that they should be ashamed of how they are feeling.

"Dismissing their concerns can only make them feel more isolated.

"I think sometimes we are a bit frightened of having certain taboo conversations with young people."

News of the figures comes as the Church of England, which has 171 schools in Kent and Medway, issued new guidance to head teachers about how to tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying.

It lists 12 recommendations, including ensuring anti-bullying policies cover such behaviour, making sure it is easy for children to report abuse and staff are trained to recognise the signs.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: "All bullying, including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying causes profound damage, leading to higher levels of mental health disorders, self-harm, depression and suicide.

"Central to Christian theology is the truth that every single one of us is made in the image of God. Every one of us is loved unconditionally by God."

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London takes referrals of children and adults seeking to transition from Kent and all over the UK.

"If young people don't feel listened to or they start it can lead to physical problems such as eating disorders, self-esteem issues, and self harm" - Alex Gray

The latest figures show the number of people given appointments was 1,419 out of which 929 were women and 490 were men.

Three of those referred were just three-years-old and 217 were aged 11 or under.

The figures compare to a total of 314 referrals in 2012/13 and 97 in 2009/10.

A spokesman said: "People under 18 cannot have realignment surgery through the NHS.

"We offer an assessment, usually three to six appointments over a period of time, usually six months, with one or two child and adolescent psychosocial professionals from the team.

"Our specialist assessment is a wide ranging one, aiming to explore and understand the child or young person's past and current gender identification, as well as their development across a number of areas of their life.

"The long term health and psycho-social wellbeing of young people is our priority, and in all our gender identity work we aim to be extremely careful to properly support young people and allow them to explore their feelings about their gender and their full range of options, which may or may not involve physical treatments.

"Physical interventions involve first the provision of hormone blockers, and from around the age of 16, if appropriate, provision of cross-sex hormones (endocrinology)."

Following an assessment phase at the Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), a child who has already started puberty can be seen by our endocrinologists for possible hormone blocking treatment.

"In appropriate cases cross-sex hormones (i.e. oestrogen or testosterone) can be prescribed from around the age 16, after a minimum of 12 months on the hormone blockers."

Tavistock says around 42% of young people who come through GIDS are referred to endocrinology.

Meanwhile, concerns about the issuing of drugs to children seeking to transition to another sex has been raised at Prime Minister's Question Time.

Welsh MP David Davis said: "In my own constituency of Monmouth, children as young as 12 have been labelled as transgender and prescribed potentially life-altering sex change drugs.

"Does the Prime Minister agree with me that the law needs to be tightened to prevent this potential mistreatment of vulnerable young people?

Prime Minister Theresa May responded: “In England the NHS has very strict guidelines regarding the prescriptions of these sorts of medications to young people.

“They can only be prescribed with the agreement of a specialist team after a careful assessment of the individual and generally only for those patients who are 15 or older, but I recognise the concern raised.”

• Click here for help and support with transgender issues or call Childline on 0800 1111.