Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to deliver a formal apology in the House of Commons on behalf of the state to survivors of the forced adoption scandal. The statement will acknowledge the harm caused during a period when an estimated 185,000 babies of unmarried mothers were adopted in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976, a practice fueled by societal shame surrounding pregnancy outside marriage.
This Westminster apology follows similar acknowledgements from the devolved administrations in Cardiff and Edinburgh three years prior, which offered apologies to those impacted in Wales and Scotland. An apology is also anticipated in Northern Ireland, contingent on the completion of a public inquiry recommended by a 2021 report that examined mother and baby institutions, Magdalene laundries, and workhouses.
Campaigners have called for the parliamentary apology to include an explicit admission of wrongdoing, acceptance of responsibility, expression of remorse, and assurances against future harm. They have also urged for increased support for affected mothers and adoptees, such as expedited access to trauma-informed counseling and improved record access.
It remains uncertain if Starmer will announce any financial compensation schemes, similar to those implemented in Ireland and Australia following their formal apologies for the coerced removal of children from unmarried mothers. The UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) had previously called for a state apology in 2022, asserting that the government bore ultimate responsibility for the suffering caused by public institutions and state employees who facilitated unwanted adoptions.
Mothers who experienced forced adoptions have recounted harrowing accounts of their children being taken away, and the enduring feelings of shame. Adults who were adopted as children have spoken of a persistent, harmful narrative that adoption had been beneficial.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed last month that a long-awaited apology was forthcoming, describing the period as a "shameful period in our history." In 2023, the then-Conservative government stated it was sorry "on behalf of society" for the treatment of these women but stopped short of a formal apology, arguing the state did not actively support these practices.
Two weeks ago, the Church of England apologized for its role in forced adoptions. Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally acknowledged the lifelong impact on families and the indignity faced by survivors, expressing deep shame that this occurred within Christian communities.
The apology comes nearly two years after the death of Veronica Smith, a key campaigner whose daughter was taken in the 1960s. Smith co-founded the Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) in 2010. Current MAA chairwoman Diana Defries noted that the state apology would be bittersweet, as some mothers who tirelessly advocated for it will not live to hear it. Defries herself had a baby daughter forcibly adopted in the 1970s.
Ann Keen, a former Labour health minister and survivor of forced adoption, expressed anticipation for the apology. "Oh, absolutely, we all need this apology because we have always been accused of giving up our babies and we didn't give them up," Keen stated. She recalled an instance where her baby was taken without her knowledge shortly before she was permitted to have him for a planned period.
Keen, who represented Brentford and Isleworth for 13 years, indicated she believes the government has handled the complex situation appropriately, stating, "I'm just looking forward to today and being released from my shame."