The Campaign
In 2019 Equality for Children was formed. A group of LGBTQ+ parents came together to fight for equality for their children. We are a not-for-profit organisation that is fully volunteer led.
In Ireland, the majority of children within LGBTQ+ families are prevented from having a legal relationship with both of their parents.
While the enactment of the Children and Families Relationships Act (CFRA) in May 2020 was a step in the right direction, only a small number of children have benefitted from this legislation. If you are an LGBTQ+ family who falls outside of the parameters of the CFRA, only the parent who is deemed to be the birth and/or biological parent can be listed on their child's birth certificate.
This results in many avoidable issues for children as they grow up; medical treatment, school enrollments, foreign travel, tax/inheritance rights are just some of the areas that are needlessly complicated when one parent is viewed as a legal stranger to their child.
The Equality for Children campaign advocates for these families and aims to mobilise public opinion to affect change.
Children still excluded are:
Children born to male parents
Children born via surrogacy
Children conceived or born outside of Ireland
Children conceived using at-home insemination
Children conceived using known or anonymous donors
(Please note that some amnesties apply for children born or conceived prior to May 5th 2020.)
Equality for Children are calling on the Government to end this discrimination by publishing an Assisted Human Reproduction Bill to include all children born to LGBTQ+ families; and by updating policy, supports, benefits and services that benefit children of heterosexual parents to also include children of LGBTQ+ parents.
We are working with other LGBT organisations including LGBT Ireland and Irish Gay Dads to make this happen.
In late 2021 we joined with a number of other LGBT stakeholder groups to form the LGBT Parents Alliance.