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UK government to issue formal apology for forced adoptions
The prime minister will deliver a formal apology in Parliament on Thursday for the state's role in the historical practice. Campaigners have pressed for the statement after a parliamentary inquiry recommended urgent action.
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The UK government will issue a formal apology on Thursday for its role in forced adoptions that took place between 1949 and 1976. Officials said the statement will be delivered in Parliament after years of campaigning by mothers, adoptees, and their families.
An estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers during that period. A parliamentary inquiry in March found that government decisions had shaped an environment in which unmarried mothers were often shamed and coerced into giving up their children.
Background to the apology The inquiry recommended improved access to adoption records and more support for people seeking to contact or reunite with family members. It stopped short of recommending financial payments but urged the government to study how other countries have responded to similar historical practices.
A previous parliamentary report in 2022 also called for a state apology. The then-Conservative government expressed regret on behalf of society in 2023 but said it did not believe a formal apology was appropriate at the time.
Next steps Campaigners are scheduled to meet the prime minister in Downing Street ahead of the statement. An apology is also expected in Northern Ireland after a public inquiry into mother and baby institutions is completed.
