Welcome!

The marginalised families online project explores the role of digital media – such as social media, discussion forums, messaging apps and blogs – in the lives of marginalised family groups in the UK. It focuses on single and/or LGBT parents who brought children into their lives through adoption, donor conception or surrogacy.

The project aims to give a voice to under-represented families and to highlight some of the challenges they face. It uses innovative methods to understand how parents navigate their roles, relationships and experiences in relation to social norms around gender, sexuality and the family.

This research is funded by the British Academy, a UK funding body that supports research about people, cultures and societies. It is based at the University of Nottingham’s School of English and has been approved by the school’s ethics committee. You can find out more by watching the project videos.

If you are a parent, or thinking of starting a family, here you will find links to useful resources, including family support charities and organisations. You can also get in touch if you would like to share your story.