The Chief Justice of the Family Court wants to make it easier and less stressful for transgender children to access hormones.

Australia is the only country in the world that requires transgender children and their parents get approval from the Family Court to access the irreversible hormone treatment, typically consisting of oestrogen or testosterone.

The process costs tens of thousands of dollars, can take nearly a year to reach a hearing, and requires expert medical approval.

“We need to try and find some more simple solution,” Family Court Chief Justice Diana Bryant told the ABC.

“I've asked the [Attorney General's] Department if we could organise a roundtable involving the major hospitals ... and just see if we can sort out a simpler and consistent method of dealing with these matters.

“I would ultimately envisage an application that could be made relatively simply by consent.”

The court process will be used much more in coming years, as a spike in the number of children seeking to transition has been reported across hospitals.

Melbourne’s Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) gender clinic is on track to receive at least 250 referrals this year – a big increase from the few dozen just three years ago.

Dr Michelle Telfer, leader of the clinic, says increasing social acceptance means more parents and children realise that transitioning is an option.

But she is concerned about the sometimes devastating effect of the delays.

“We see kids very distressed, we see kids self-harming and we see kids trying to take their lives,” Dr Telfer said.