Stonewall has released the first guide advising gay men on how to become a father. A Guide for Gay Dads provides practical and legal advice on various routes to fatherhood including adoption, co-parenting, surrogacy, sperm donation and foster care.

The guide, which seeks to bring clarity to the complex social and legal issues surrounding gay parenthood, follows the publication of research on 'Different Families', commissioned by Stonewall and carried out by the University of Cambridge. The research suggested same-sex parents provide a comparable quality of upbringing to that received by children raised in heterosexual relationships.

Chief Executive of Stonewall, Ben Summerskill, said on the release of the guide: 'There's never been a better time for gay men to start a family in Britain. The law is now on their side. And this comprehensive new guide - the first of its kind specifically aimed at gay men - outlines all options, with handy tips and places to go for further support. We hope it'll convince some gay men who might have otherwise written off the prospect of raising children to re-consider'.

The guide, sponsored by the London Sperm Bank, sits alongside the group's Pregnant Pause publication, which provides similar advice to potential lesbian mothers. The charity is anxious same-sex parents are not put off having children. Communications officer, Gary Nunn, said: 'In the year ending 21 March 2010, just 60 of the 3,200 children who were adopted went to gay male couples', he explained. 'This has doubled since 2007, but it's still less than two percent'.