Gay dads and surrogacy research – can you help?

Call for Research Participants for two research studies on gay dads through UK surrogacy

Luke Groom and Derek Batten are trainee clinical psychologists completing research into gay dad families as part of their doctorates in clinical psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. They are keen to contact gay dads through surrogacy, so please do contact them if you are interested in getting involved.

Luke Groom: Non-biological gay/bisexual fathers’ experiences of becoming dads and bonding with their baby born by UK surrogacy

Are you a gay or bisexual cisgendered man* in a same-sex male parenting relationship, a first-time father, and a father to a baby not biologically related to you?

Did you have your baby through surrogacy in the UK?

Is your baby aged between 0-2 years of age?

Who is doing this research?

Luke Groom is a trainee clinical psychologist whose research interests are focused on the way that non-biological gay fathers’ story their experiences of becoming dads and bonding with their baby when in a romantic relationship with a man who shares a biological connection with their baby.

Who can participate?

Luke is looking to recruit gay/bisexual cisgendered men, who are in a same-sex male co-parenting relationship, who have become fathers for the first time and who are not biologically related to their baby (while their partner is).

The study will involve taking part in one interview lasting up to an hour and a half. It’s hoped this research will improve access to mental health services for gay dads that might struggle during the early years of having a baby born by surrogacy and to support wider policy changes such as the parental order to ensure that LGBTQ+ families and are seen as families like any other.

His study has been reviewed and received ethical approval from the University of Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee and is supervised by Dr Nic Horley, Principal Clinical psychologist at the West London Health Trust Perinatal Mental Health Team and Professor Kathryn Almack, Sociologist at the School of Health, and Social Work at the University of Hertfordshire.

How to get involved

If you would like to know more about this research study or to take part, please get in touch.

Email: l.groom@herts.ac.uk

Twitter/X: @lukegdclinpsy

Instagram: @gaydads_and_surrogacy_research

*Someone who was assigned male at birth and identifies as male. Can have twins or triplets, but father must not be biologically related to any babies.

Derek Batten: Prospective gay fathers intending to become parents through surrogacy

Are you a gay father intended to become a parent through surrogacy?  If the answer is yes, and you are pursuing surrogacy in the UK, this research study is aimed at you!

Who is doing this research?

Derek Batten is a trainee clinical psychologist who identifies as a gay man and is interested in research that explores the reproductive journeys of gay men. His project aims to explore gay fathers’ pathways to parenthood, specifically focusing on gay dads navigating UK surrogacy, and exploring what helps and hinders decision-making.

How to get involved

If you would like to know more about the project or be a participant, please email Derek at d.batten@herts.ac.uk.  You will be called or emailed initially to discuss the project and book an online interview (which will take an hour to an hour and a half) if you are happy to participate.