A GENDER ISSUES charity has opened its first national headquarters in Yeadon after a 400 per cent increase in calls for help.

Mermaids supports children and young people with gender identity issues and is run by Susie Green, whose daughter underwent transgender surgery as a teenager.

Susie, from Yeadon, got involved with the charity because of her daughter and has become its CEO. She is now overseeing the opening of its first national office, based in Yeadon, to cope with the rapid increase in calls and emails over the last few years.

She stressed the need for support for young vulnerable trans people - almost half of whom try to kill themselves at least once. Her own daughter made repeated suicide attempts during her high school years as she endured "horrific" treatment at the hands of other children and adults.

Now Susie is in talks with the Department of Education in a bid to provide national guidelines on transgender issues to all schools to help protect vulnerable children.

Mermaids opened its Yeadon offices in September after receiving a Children in Need grant for helpline staff and premises. The charity has also just received a National Diversity Award award for LGBT Groups.

Susie said: "We have been working with young people and children with gender identity issues and their families and associated professionals for many years, but have seen a sharp increase over the last three years.

"It could be more sympathetic portrayal of trans issues, celebrities such as Laverne Cox, Caitlyn Jenna, or own Stephanie Hirst and Kellie Maloney. The internet and the ease with which young people can find out about other trans related stories and individuals is also a factor, as is our media presence becoming more well-known through our campaigning work with the Government and other agencies.

"Trans youth and children are incredibly vulnerable, with an extremely high suicide and self harm risk. Forty eight per cent of trans youth have attempted suicide at least once, and 58 per cent actively self harm."

Over the last three years calls to the charity have gone up from 199 per year to 1,134, while emails have increased from 296 in a year to 1,800.

Susie said the charity was still only able to answer about 45 per cent of the calls made to it.

She understands from her own experience the anguish suffered by transgender people and their families. Her own child was just four years old when she told her "god has made a mistake - I should be a girl."

Susie has supported her daughter as she struggled against other people's prejudices and bullying.

"She has had some horrific things happen to her. That is why I am so passionate about this," she said.

She added: "She has had some really tough times but she has come through those. He is absolutely fine now, she is happy, out-going and confident."