Specialist center for rainbow families NRW

Families are colorful and diverse. The Fachstelle Regenbogenfamilien NRW is committed to making this diversity visible and audible. It represents the interests of queer families in the state and advocates for their needs. The specialist unit supports self-help groups and contact points in NRW and promotes local networking.

The Familienportal.NRW asked the specialist unit to briefly introduce its work, goals and commitment.

We address all family forms in which queer people live together - whether two-mother, two-father, multi-parent or single-parent families, trans*, non-binary or inter*. Even if you are just starting a family, we are there for you. Whether urban or rural, with experience of flight, migration, racism or disabilities - we design our services to suit you. We also support professionals who support queer families with further training.

Our specialist department offers queer families in NRW a wide range of support: we promote networking and self-help, make rainbow families visible and campaign politically for your rights. Whether through advice, events or publications - we support you, strengthen your voice and represent your perspectives in expert committees. Your experiences and needs are at the heart of our work - for more visibility, support and equal rights.

Many of you are familiar with this: at nursery, at the paediatrician, at school or in everyday life, you are often confronted with situations in which you have to explain or even justify your family. All too often, you are left to your own devices when it comes to defending your interests. This can be exhausting in the long run - and not every family has the resources to do it alone.

This is exactly why networking is so valuable: exchanging ideas with other queer parents, the feeling of not being alone, thinking about solutions together - all of this can relieve, strengthen and encourage you. It is also valuable for your children to get to know and experience other queer families: Our family is not the exception - there are many of us.

Whether you join an existing group, take part in events or make use of queer-sensitive advice - these are all ways to strengthen yourself and your family.