This 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 and gay (same-sex attracted) parents. But also want to hear from the heterosexual brothers and sisters of gay and lesbian parents.

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.

This online survey will take you about 30 to 40 minutes to complete. Once you have finished, press the Submit Answers to send your results to our database. If you do not have enough time to finish the survey in one sitting, please save your answers using the link at the very top of each survey page after the first one. You will need to provide a password and will be also given a security code both of which you will need to retrieve your answers. None of your answers are stored on the computers where you complete the survey.

You are eligible to complete the survey if you are:

• over 18 years of age, and
• parenting a child or children aged under 18 years of age (this includes foster parents, step parents, grandparents, relatives and others who are primary carers of children), and
• parenting in a same sex relationship; or a sole-parent identifying as same-sex attracted; or the sibling of a same-sex attracted parent who has invited you to complete the survey

When you have completed the survey, we have one special request of you. If you have a heterosexual brother or sister who is also a parent, could you please invite them to also complete the survey? At the end of the survey you will be asked if you wish to do this. If you agree then a separate form will appear after you have submitted your answers where you can provide your siblings' contact details and also include a personal message.

This study will compare the information provided by same-sex attracted parents with that of heterosexual parents. In order to find a group of heterosexual parents from a similar range of backgrounds to the same-sex parents who complete the survey, we are asking people to invite one of their heterosexual siblings (who are parents) to also complete the survey.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a sibling (or they are not interested in completing the survey), your answers on their own are still valid and will still be used in the study!

To read more about this, follow the link to our frequently asked questions [Why have you asked me to invite my heterosexual siblings to complete the survey?]

Please read our frequently asked questions page . If your questions are not answered on this page please contact us. Details can be found on the FAQs page.

If you would like to speak to someone or need some support, please see our services page which has contact details for services and support groups.

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.

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, 8 Gardiner St, Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, phone (03) 9385 5100.