Work, Love and Play in Diverse Family Life in Australia and New Zealand

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Work, Love and Play in Diverse Family Life in Australia and New Zealand

 
Research Team: Dr. Amaryll Perlesz (The Bouverie Centre), Dr. Jen Power (The Bouverie Centre & ARCSHS), Rhonda Brown (Nursing, DeakinUniversity), Professor Marian Pitts (Australian Research Centre for Sex, Health and Society), Professor Margot Schofield (School of Public Health, La Trobe University), Dr. Ruth McNair (Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne), and Dr. Andrew Bickerdike (Relationships Australia).
 
Summary: The Work, Love and Play study is about the way in which parents organise household and parenting responsibilities and the impact of parenting on relationships. We are particularly interested in the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (same-sex attracted) parents. The study will look at the broader social and legal contexts in which parents raise their children and the impact this can have on families.
So far, the study has involved an online (internet-based) survey that was completed by nearly 500 same-sex attracted parents across Australia and New Zealand. A group of heterosexual parents, who are the siblings of some of the same-sex attracted parents involved in the study, also completed the survey.
 
The survey asked people about their family relationships and roles within the household such as work arrangements, division of household tasks and time spent with children, as well as how satisfied people are with their current family and household arrangements. It also asked about family and social supports, things that create stress in the family, legal arrangements that may impact upon individuals and families and how people rated their own mental health.
 
It is hoped that the findings from this project will be used to assist professionals working with families in a range of areas to become better informed and better able to acknowledge and support those choosing to parent in diverse ways. Information from this project will also be used to inform public and organisational policy development.
 
What have we found so far?
The data collection phase of the research has only recently been completed and we are just starting to look at the findings. So watch this space for more information about the results as they emerge. You can also contact the project researchers.
 
Project funding
The project has been funded by the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University in Melbourne and it is being run through the Bouverie Centre.
 
Ethics approval
This project has been approved by the LaTrobe University Faculty of Health Science Human Ethics Committee. If you have any concerns about the ethics of this project please feel free to contact Natalie Humphries, Faculty Human Ethics Committee Secretary, email: n.humphries@latrobe.edu.au or phone +61 3 9479 3573.
 
Contact the Researchers
Any questions you have about this project or the survey can be directed to:
Dr Jennifer Power or Dr Amaryll Perlesz at the Bouverie Centre. Email: a.perlesz@latrobe.edu.au or Jennifer.power@latrobe.edu.au.
 
Links
If you are looking for more information or support regarding same-sex parenting, the following links may be useful:
 

 
Counselling and Support Services (Gay and Lesbian Specific)
New Zealand National
 
Outline (formerly gay line/lesbian line)
www.gayline.org.nz
 
Outline provides free and confidential support, information and counselling to gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people and their significant others.
 
New Zealand (Wellington)
 
Wellington Gay Welfare Group
Ph. (04) 385 1816, helpline@gaywellington.org
 
The Wellington Gay Welfare Group provides support to gay men by way of a telephone service which operates every evening and a support group called ‘newcomers’ for men who are gay or think they may be.
 
Australia National
Persons Seeking Telephone Counselling and Support from
outside the local call area of State or Territory Capital Cities may call 1800 18 4527 between 7.30pm and 10.00pm local time.
 
Australian Capital Territory (Canberra)
 
Callers from the ACT may call 1800 18 4527 between 7.3Opm and 10pm local time. Your call will be diverted to the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW.
 
The AIDS Action Council of the ACT provides a professional counsellor who can provide support on a one-to-one basis. This free service is available for people living with HIV/AIDS and for people coming to terms with their sexuality or transgender status. The service is also available for partners, families or friends. To make an appointment to see the counsellor, please contact 02 6257 2855 during business hours.
 
Queensland (Brisbane)
 
Gay and Lesbian Welfare Association
1-800-18-4527 or 07-3017-1717
 
New South Wales (Sydney)
 
Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW
1-800-18-4527 or 02-8594-9596
 
Outside of Sydney Areas call:
1800 - 18 - GLCS
(1800 - 18 - 4527)
 
Western Australia (Perth)
 
Gay and Lesbian Community Services of Western Australia
1-800-18-4527 or 08-9420-7201
 
South Australia (Adelaide)
 
Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of SA
1-800-18-2233 or 08-8334-1623
 
Tasmania (Hobart)
 
Working It Out provides counselling and support for newly-identifying LGBTI people
39 Burnett St North Hobart
Po Box 377 North Hobart 7002
03 6231 1200
 
Victoria (Melbourne)
 
Gay and Lesbian Switchboard
1-800-18-4527 or 03-9827-8544
 
Northern Territory (Darwin)
 
Gay & Bisexual Men’s Line Telephone Service
Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm.
FREECALL 1800 181 888
 
Callers from outside of Darwin may call
1800 18 4527 between 7.30pm and 10pm local time.
Your call will be diverted to the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of SA.
 
Support for Same Sex Parenting
Australia National
 
New Zealand
National
 
Parents With Pride is a support, networking, and resources forum for Australian and NZ parents, partners, and prospective parents who identify as being GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans*), and their families. Providing free resources and local group listings ... bringing families together.
 
 
General enquiries - Parents With Pride
Email: pwpaus@yahoo.com.au
Address: PO Box 67, Beechboro, Perth, WA, 6063
Ph: 0417 997 204
 
New Zealand
National
Rainbow Families New Zealand
rainbowfamiliesnz@gmail.com
 
Rainbow Families is an email group list and website connecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender parents throughout New Zealand. 
The list enables Rainbow families to organise regional meetings and social get togethers.  The list also has a support purpose to enable parents to receive ideas and opinions from other GLBT parents regarding raising children in Rainbow families.
 
New Zealand
(Wellington)
Rainbow Families Wellington
http://rainbowfamilies.homestead.com/
 
A network of children and grand-children of rainbow people, rainbow parents and grand-parents, rainbow people who want to be parents, and the wider whanau of people who play a significant role in rainbow children's lives.  (By "Rainbow" we include Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Asexual, Transgender, Intersex, Takataapui, and Fa'afafine people).  The group is inclusive and primarily focussed on "rainbow" children so that they can grow up knowing that they are part of a larger family.  Another important focus is providing opportunities for rainbow adults who have or want to have significant roles in children's lives to meet.
 
New Zealand
(Wellington)
Gay and Bisexual Dads
 
A social group, providing peer support for gay, bisexual and transgender fathers and their partners.
 
Victoria
Maybe Baby Melbourne
A social group for people who are considering forming a rainbow family.
 
Victoria
Rainbow Families Council
Rainbow Families Council is a volunteer community organization working for same-sex parented families in Victoria. We bring together lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex parenting groups, families, children's and family organisations and other allies.
 
Victoria
Prospective Lesbian Parents Victoria (PLP) is a friendly and informal group for women who may be interested in becoming a parent. We meet once a month to hear from guest speakers and have general discussions about parenting. New people are welcome to come along any time.
 
Queensland
Gay Parent Network is a Brisbane based community group for GLBT parents throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales. It's designed to provide gay parents with peer support, friendship, and a sense of belonging.
 
Queensland
Gay Dads Brisbane
A group for GLBTI dads to talk about issues.
Phone Barry on 0419 661 145
 
South Australia
Pinkparents
A community, social, support and lobby group for lesbian,
gay, transgender, bisexual, prospective parents,
queer parents, families and friends.
 
NSW
Blue Mountains Rainbow Parents
A contact/news site for the group Blue Mountains Rainbow Parents. Is for lesbian mums and gay dads living from Penrith to Lithgow in NSW. A place for up coming events and contacts to be posted. Generally by invitation only, however by emailing a request to join with some info about yourself your request will be looked at by the moderators
 
NSW
Rainbow Families NSW is a group for members of the GLBTQ community in NSW who are either gay parents, children of GLBTQ parents or who wish to become parents.Rainbow Families NSW welcomes members who want to give and receive support, advice, encouragement and affirmation.
explaining your reasons for wishing to join the group and how you found out about it.
 
ACT
Family Pride ACT
Family Pride ACT is a new social group for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex community, their families and their friends in the ACT. Everyone is welcome ~ people with children of all ages, people thinking of having children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends …… almost any other family configuration you can think of! We plan to have occasional social activities and/or a discussion forum within the community.
 
Websites and resources for kids with same sex parents
 
COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) is an organisation that supports children, youth and adults with LGBT parent(s). The website provides online communities, pen-pals from all over the world, posters and resources for schools, and lots more. COLAGE is based in the USA but there are chapters in other countries.
 
 
Support and information for young people
 
 
Learn to Include
A series of pre-school children’s story books about a lesbian family. There is also a teacher’s manual.
 
Support for family and friends of lesbian, gay and trans people
New Zealand
(Otago based)
PFLAG South
Ph. (03) 466-4600 10am-2pm Monday, Wednesday & Friday
 
PFLAG is a group for parents and families with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered members. It is based in the lower half of the South Island. The group aims to help families in understanding their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered members and in accepting them with love and pride. It offers information and a chance to meet with others in an informal and, where necessary, confidential setting. It also offers support and advice where this is needed.
 
Australia
National
PFLAG Australia
Links to state-based branches can be found on thePFLAG Australia website
 
PFLAG is a group for parents and friends of gay and lesbian people who are a part of our community.
 
Email: info@pflagaustralia.org.au
Phone: (02) 9869 1454
Fax:
Address: PO Box 3751, Marsfield NSW 2122
 
Other resources
 
Talking Turkey
A legal guide on same sex parenting, which has been produced by the Inner City Legal Centre in Sydney. This has been updated in 2005.
Available at
 
 
Over the Rainbow: A guide to the law for lesbians and gay men in Victoria.
This site features detailed, searchable information about areas such as anti-discrimination law, health, inheritance, property division, death compensation and State superannuation for lesbians and gay men in Victoria. Over the Rainbow online is an initiative of the Victorian Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby and the Department of Justice.