Community Corner
The Queer Parenting Partnership - Our regular spotlight on a grassroots VCSE organisation in the perinatal mental health sector
What is the name of your organisation and when did you set up?
The Queer Parenting Partnership CIC was established in 2020.
Where are you based?
Our sessions are all online - they have a national reach.
What services do you offer and who do you support?
Perinatal education for LGBTQ+ families.
What prompted you to set up in the first place?
The Queer Parenting Partnership was launched in 2020, in response to the shocking lack of birth and parenting support services for LGBTQ+ people in the UK. We recognise the need for additional services targeted at not only LGBTQ+ families but also at other families perceived to be minorities.
Do you run any services that reflect specific needs within your community?
Yes, we currently facilitate a monthly Zoom coffee morning and perinatal education classes online. We have provider trainings and workshops and we host online spaces for people to connect.
What do you find most rewarding about running your organisation?
The work that we do is so sorely necessary but we don't often get repeat customers. We provide enough education that parents won't need to re-purchase our classes. However, we have many parents return - after giving birth - to our coffee mornings. Usually with a small human in tow.
If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice when starting up, what would it be?
You will be attacked from all sides, build a fortress around yourself. And seek autistic business mentors.
If money and resources were no issue and you could wave a magic wand, what might you change about your service?
We would make our classes free for all LGBTQ+ parents. Simply because they deserve it.
If you could give all parents / carers a super-power, what would that be?
The power to believe in themselves.
Is there anything about your service that makes it stand out from the crowd?
We are the only organisation in the UK to do this work. Our values are of equality, fairness, power, love, community, laughter and fun. We aim to build a community for queer families to learn and grow together and to celebrate our presence in the world.
What keeps you going when things get tough?
Rainbows! New baby smiles. Messages from families saying "we did it!"
Any recent wins or exciting news you’d like to tell us about?
We launched a colouring book in 2024 that has been pretty successful. We hope to have a pregnancy journal out soon.
Thank you to Slade for sharing these insights on behalf of The Queer Parenting Partnership. You can find out more about the organisation by visiting https://parentingqueer.co.uk/ or contacting info@parentingqueer.co.uk