Supporting LGBTIQA+ families

Rainbow Families
Dedicated. Determined. Caring.

Proud dad Ashley Scott has been an active and dedicated member of Rainbow Families since helping to start the organisation in 2015.

Ashley works hard to help Rainbow Families fulfil its purpose of providing support and resources to members of the LGBTIQA+ community so they and their families can live their best lives.

He is part of the glue that keeps the organisation together, keeping the website up to date, helping to organise events, responding to emails and raise funds.

He has also been to Canberra to lobby politicians and successfully brought lesbian and gay parents together to hold joint family events.

But Ashley is most proud of his role in setting up antenatal classes that cater to the unique needs of LGBTIQA+ parents.

After a successful test program, the classes are now run by midwife educators from Sydney Local Health District.

Parents feel safe to ask questions they would not be able to ask in a traditional class, says Ashley.

“When I had my children, there was no class available for gay dads who were expecting a baby. So I was handed a baby with no idea what to expect. Lucky for me, I had a wonderfully supportive family so I was fine,” he says.

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. Rainbow Families will lobby for parenting law reforms and produce a guide for partners who are separating.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here