The Church of England is set to issue a formal apology for its role in historic forced adoptions, where thousands of children were taken from unwed mothers in the decades after World War II. The Church operated approximately 100 mother and baby homes across England, where unmarried pregnant women were sent to give birth in secret. Many of these infants were later adopted by married couples, sometimes after donation to church-affiliated “moral welfare” organizations.
Traumatic memories of survivors
Survivors and campaigners have welcomed the church’s move but stressed the need for honesty and transparency. One survivor, John Doyle, was sent to a Kent home in 1963 at the age of 16. Recalling the harsh conditions, she told BBC News, “If the floors needed washing, we had to get down on our hands and knees, even though we were pregnant. I think I got down on my hands and knees the day before my son was born.” Her child David was taken away from her and they were only reunited 63 years later.Phil Frampton, a survivor, said, “It would not be enough for the Church to say that they were guided by the morality of the time. The Church and the State were major proponents of forced adoption and should compensate the survivors.”Dr Michael Lambert of Lancaster University, who has researched the church’s involvement, said, “An apology would mean a lot to those affected. It could change the story from embarrassment to recognition of the harm done on a systemic scale.”In an early draft obtained by the BBC, the church said: “We acknowledge the lifelong impact of these experiences and the role the church has played in shaping a system of attitudes and behavior that we now recognize as harmful. We are deeply sorry for the pain and trauma experienced – and still endured – by many women and children in Church-affiliated mother and baby homes.A 2021 investigation by Parliament found that about 185,000 adoptions in England and Wales between 1949 and 1973 included unmarried mothers. While not all homes were run by the Church, some were run by the Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, and other welfare agencies, and the state funded many of them.The UK government has never formally apologised, although Children and Families Minister Josh McAllister acknowledged last month that the state “had a role” in the forced adoption system and that a formal apology was “being actively considered.”The Church of England’s apology is significant because it accepts institutional responsibility for decades of forced separation, abuse and trauma. It also puts pressure on the UK government to issue its own formal apology, following precedents set by the governments of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as other religious organisations.
