LGBTQ+ charity Rainbow Families is on a mission to celebrate, empower and advocate for rainbow families at every stage of their life, and that includes the journey to intended parenthood many will embark on this year.
In support, the charity will host their annual Making Rainbow Families Seminar on Sunday 25 June 2023 to assist those in the LGBTQ+ community who are considering starting their own family.
The online and in person event in Sydney will explore parenting options and topics like:
- Are you ready to become a Parent with a family psychologist
- Fostering and adoption
- IVF and home insemination
- Surrogacy options
- Trans and gender diverse options
- Legal considerations for LGBTQ+ parents
- Tell them from me – a panel discussion featuring LGBTQ+ parents and their children.
Making Rainbow Families is the only LGBTQ+ specific program for intended parents in Australia covering multiple ways of becoming a parent.
The seminar simplifies the often complex, non-traditional path to starting a family and is ideal for those who don’t know where to start, or for those who might need more specific information from experts in the field including doctors, psychologists, lawyers, and community members sharing their lived experience.
The first Making Rainbow Families Seminar kicked off in 2016 and was driven by the diverse needs of the community. It has since become the go-to for intended parenting education.
Rainbow Families provides an invaluable service to hundreds of community members who are considering the exciting (and sometimes daunting) decision to become parents, with a comprehensive program for attendees designed also to reinforce a sense of community connection.
Ashley Scott is a gay dad and donor of three children. He is also the Executive Officer of Rainbow Families. “Members of the LGBTQ+ community have more options today than ever before to make their dream of a family a reality. But with so much information and misinformation out there, taking steps forward with confidence can be a challenge.” he said.
“I found in my own parenting journey that so much information and advice is centered around heterosexual couples. Just getting past that to find out how to become a parent can be quite confronting,” said Ashley.
The seminar series has become a highly anticipated event in the community, and for many participants, it is the start of lifelong friendships for themselves and their children.
“Getting to know other people who are at the start of their parenting journey means community members also have supportive peers as they go through new stages such as pregnancy and newborns or fostering and adoption,” said Ashley.
“The children and young people also then have around them a supportive community of other kids who share a similar family story, which is important in a society that can sometimes find it difficult to be inclusive of difference.”
The 2023 Making Rainbow Families Seminar takes place on Sunday 25 June. To ensure the seminars are as accessible as possible for aspiring LGBTQ+ parents and allies, the sessions are being held via Zoom and in person in Sydney. For more information and to make a booking, visit: www.rainbowfamilies.com.au for details.