Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson Confirms Government Apology For England's Forced Adoption Victims
The UK government is set to issue a formal apology to individuals affected by historical forced adoptions in England, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed. This move follows sustained pressure from mothers and adoptees who have campaigned for recognition of state involvement in these practices.
State's Role in Historical Practices
An estimated 185,000 infants were removed from their mothers in the 30 years following the Second World War. Thousands of these mothers, often unmarried, faced significant pressure to relinquish their babies for adoption. Phillipson informed the House of Commons Education Committee that the apology would acknowledge a "shameful period" in the nation's history, with further details expected from the Prime Minister.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) initiated an inquiry into the matter in 2021. Their report, published in March, urged the government to apologise, noting that while no single perpetrator existed, "government decisions shaped the environment in which unmarried mothers were often shamed and coerced into having their children put up for adoption".
The JCHR report also advocated for improved access to records for adoptees and birth mothers, alongside trauma-informed support services for those navigating family reunions. The committee did not recommend financial compensation but called for a rigorous assessment of responses to similar historical practices in other nations, including Australia, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.
Previous statements from the Conservative government in 2023 offered an expression of regret but stopped short of a formal apology, claiming the state did not "actively support these practices". Both the Scottish and Welsh governments issued apologies to victims in 2023. The Church of England is also reportedly preparing to apologise for its role in these historical adoptions.
