All articles tagged with #forced adoptions
Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally apologizes for the state- and church-backed forced adoptions carried out between 1949 and 1976, affecting about 185,000 children; the government pledges funding to help adoptees access records, reconnect families, and study long-term impacts, following Church of England admissions of responsibility and earlier recommendations.
The Church of England issued a formal apology for its role in the historic forced adoptions of unmarried mothers, saying it is profoundly sorry for the pain, trauma and stigma suffered by birth mothers and children in the 1949–1976 mother-and-baby homes. A church report found staff attitudes and poor conditions at times, with some mothers subjected to demeaning labels and practices. While welcomed by some, critics argued the statement lacks a clear admission of wrongdoing. The government plans a separate state apology, and the church is offering parish-based support to those affected.
The Church of England apologized for its role in forced adoptions at mother-and-baby homes in the U.K. from 1949 to 1976, acknowledging the pain suffered by unmarried mothers as about 185,000 children were placed for adoption, with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally expressing deep sorrow and describing historical practices as harmful.