MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release 28 July 2026
SYDNEY - Rainbow Families Australia has been awarded $300,000 under the Australian Government's LGBTIQA+ Health Program funding outcomes. The grant will launch Strong Starts: Supporting LGBTQ+ Parents from Pregnancy to Parenthood, a two year national program supporting LGBTQ+ parents through pregnancy and early parenthood.
The funding allows Rainbow Families to expand its established NSW programs into online groups. This expansion will reach expectant and new parents across every state and territory, including families in regional and remote areas.
"LGBTQ+ families still face real barriers to feeling safe and seen in mainstream perinatal care," said Ashley Scott, Executive Officer of Rainbow Families. "That isolation can have a lasting impact on the wellbeing of parents and children alike. This funding means we can take programs that have supported our community in NSW for over a decade and make them available to LGBTQ+ parents right across the country."
Delivered from October 2026 to June 2028, Strong Starts will be guided by a national advisory group of LGBTQ+ parents. It will be supported by state based peer leaders to ensure content reflects the lived experience of trans and gender diverse parents, non birth parents, parents through surrogacy, and families navigating postnatal mental health. The initiative builds on the practices Rainbow Families has delivered since 2015, establishing referral pathways with maternity and child health services across Australia.
"Census data shows same sex couples raising children in Australia grew by 68 per cent since 2016, yet inclusive perinatal support remains scarce outside major cities," Mr Scott said. "Strong Starts is about making sure every LGBTQ+ parent, wherever they live, has somewhere safe to turn during one of the biggest transitions of their life.
"We're thrilled with this outcome knowing the massive impact it'll have on LGBTQ+ families across the country."
About Rainbow Families Rainbow Families is a community led national body founded in 2015 by LGBTQ+ parents. The organisation supports LGBTQ+ families through advocacy, community programs, and education. Governed entirely by LGBTQ+ community members, it delivers playgroups, antenatal education, peer support, and family violence prevention programs.
Media contact Mr. Ashley Scott, Executive Officer, Rainbow Families [email protected]
