The UK government will issue a full apology on behalf of the state to those affected by historical forced adoption in England, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has confirmed. Giving evidence to the education select committee on Wednesday, Phillipson described the practice as a 'shameful period' in the country's history.
Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers and placed for adoption in England and Wales, driven by a culture of shame surrounding pregnancy outside marriage. Religious organisations ran most mother and baby homes, with charities and local authorities involved in funding and finding adoptive parents.
Phillipson told MPs that the prime minister would have more to say, but assured all affected: 'You will get the apology that you so profoundly deserve.' The Welsh and Scottish governments formally apologised in 2023, and the head of the Catholic church in England and Wales issued an apology in 2016.
Campaigners welcomed the promise but called for tangible support. Sally Ells of the Adult Adoptee Movement said: 'We hope the apology is going to be meaningful and provide redress for all survivors.' Diana Defries of the Movement for an Adoption Apology added: 'Any apology has to have the right structure. It's about taking responsibility, acknowledging harm and being willing to do something about it.'
Emily Frith, chief executive of Adoption UK, stressed: 'An apology without action is not enough. Adult adoptees continue to face barriers to accessing therapy, tracing birth relatives and obtaining birth and medical records.' The government has not yet outlined specific measures beyond the apology.
