Church of England Apologises for Forced Adoptions in Mother and Baby Homes, Government to Follow

The Church of England has publicly apologised for its role in the forced adoption of children from unmarried mothers, a practice prevalent between 1949 and 1976. Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullaly stated the Church was "profoundly sorry" for the "pain, trauma and suffering and fear" experienced by those affected.

The apology follows two years of internal research by the Church into its archives and direct testimony from birth mothers and adoptees. Documentation from 1970 revealed that staff within the roughly 100 Church-affiliated mother and baby homes described them as places "from which the adoption agencies get their raw material." Reports also detailed derogatory descriptions of some mothers as "dim, feckless [and] inadequate," and acknowledged that the conditions in these homes "did not always meet acceptable standards."

Women sent to these institutions, often to conceal their pregnancies from society, were frequently subjected to menial and manual labour, even in late pregnancy, as a form of perceived punishment. Dame Sarah expressed "deep regret that this apology comes too late" for many who have since died.

The Adult Adoptee Movement, representing children forcibly removed from their mothers, dismissed the Church's statement as "not a meaningful apology," citing a lack of explicit admission of wrongdoing or recognition of specific harms. The Catholic Church issued its own apology for similar practices in 2016.

Separately, the UK government has confirmed it will also make a full apology on behalf of the state for its involvement in the forced adoption era. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated an apology would be made "very soon," with the Prime Minister expected to address this "shameful period in our history."