The waiting list for a transgender support service at the Royal Children's Hospital has blown out beyond a year, prompting calls for urgent action to help vulnerable children.

Surging demand has increased pressure on the hospital's gender dysphoria service in recent years, with young people now forced to wait up to 14 months for a first appointment.

Canon O'Saurus, born female but now 'gender diverse', says long waiting lists risk damaging transgender people. Credit:Wayne Taylor

The service works with transgender children, adolescents and their families. The term transgender broadly applies to people whose gender identity is at odds with their biological sex.

The unit sees young people between 5 and 18 years old.