Social work practice with transsexuals in Hong Kong who apply for sex reassignment surgery

There is a dearth of social work literature describing the comprehensive way of helping transsexuals who seek sex reassignment surgery. In view of this knowledge gap, this paper proposes a practice model to help transsexuals at different stages: assessment, surgery, and post-surgical follow-up. The characteristics of this practice model, its underlying theoretical framework, its focus of intervention, and the intervention at the multiple systems levels (namely individual, family and organization) are described. The roles of the social worker at different stages of helping are discussed.