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An absolutely HUGE thank-you to everyone who has supported this project so far by making a pledge or spreading the word. We still have a week to run and can continue to accept pledges. If we raise more money, I’ll expand the resource kit. I’m going to cover at least ten topics, but there are twenty on the list I drew up with my focus group (see below) and I’d really love to produce something big, broad and truly comprehensive.

 

 

 

A Resource Kit for Rainbow Families

 

 

 

The project

 

The aim of this project is to produce a resource kit for same-sex families.

 

I plan to produce a series of information sheets that provide advice and guidance on everyday issues experienced by rainbow families.

 

I've drawn up a list of topics based on consultation with a focus group of same-sex attracted mums and dads, and on my own experience of raising three children in a same-sex family for the last ten years. 

 

The resource kit will be clearly written, practical and informative and downloadable free from the Rainbow Families Council website and my website.

 

I'll start with ten topics drawn from the list below and, if we exceed the target, I'll write more.

 

· Choosing a rainbow-family-friendly kinder or school

· Talking to our kids about donor-conception, IVF, eggs and sperm and sex

· Dealing with gender-neutral language and the terminology of our families

· What it's like to be a non-biological mum

· Managing anti-natal classes and dealing with hospitals

· Dealing with the particular issues that come with being a gay dad

· Embracing grandparents, aunts and uncles and other extended family

· Dealing with doctors and other health professionals

· Being a parent who is transsexual

· Dealing with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

· Managing teasing, name-calling and bullying

· Talking to our kids – and their friends – about rainbow families

· Managing a same-sex family break-up

· Engaging with schools on the issue of sex education

· Being a parent who is intersex

· Raising our kids in the country

· Being a single parent

· Fostering and adoption and same-sex families

· Dealing with issues around religion – ours and other people’s

· Talking to our kids about marriage equality and other topics in the media

· Dealing with Maternal and Child Health nurses and mothers'/parents' groups

· Helping support adolescents in our families

 

I want to arm same-sex parents with ideas and arguments, solutions and strategies that have been tried and tested by other parents so they can effectively advocate on behalf of their own families.

 

The process

 

To write the resource kit I'll draw on the wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise within the rainbow families’ community. I'll survey people on the above subjects in person, via email questionnaires, in focus groups, and in telephone interviews.

 

I'll gather stories, anecdotes, advice, arguments, ideas, suggestions and strategies and collate and edit all that information. Then I'll write up each information sheet under individual subject headings.

 

Each information sheet will be checked and reviewed by appropriate people, including members of the Rainbow Families Council, and a graphic designer will lay them out and up-load them to the Rainbow Families Council website and my website.

 

They will then be available free to anyone. 

 

 

 My rainbow family

 

The funding

 

I aim to cover ten topics from the list above.

 

If we exceed the target, I will extend the kit by covering more topics.

 

The bulk of the funding will go towards undertaking the consultation and writing of the resource kit.

 

Some money will be allocated for the graphic design of the kit and up-loading to the websites.

 

Some money will be allocated for focus groups and a launch.