Church of England Expresses Profound Sorrow for Historical Forced Adoptions
The Church of England has extended a formal apology to the birth mothers and their children affected by its participation in historical forced adoptions. The institution stated it is "profoundly sorry" for its role in a practice that saw thousands of unmarried mothers pressured into relinquishing their infants for adoption.
This apology follows the UK government's confirmation on Wednesday that it too will issue a full apology on behalf of the state for its involvement in these practices.
The Church's Involvement and Acknowledgment
Between 1949 and 1976, the Church of England was either directly responsible for or helped administer approximately 100 mother and baby homes, where pregnant unmarried women were sent to give birth. In her formal apology, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullaly, addressed the victims directly, stating they endured "pain and trauma and suffering and fear when you should have received care and compassion."
She emphasized, "You have nothing to be ashamed of. The shame is ours and we're profoundly sorry." The practice often involved isolating unmarried pregnant women in these homes to conceal their pregnancies from society.
The apology is the result of a two-year internal investigation by the Church, which involved reviewing its archives and other records, as well as consulting with birth mothers and adoptees. A newly published Church report revealed insights into the attitudes of the time, with documents from 1970 describing these homes as places "from which the adoption agencies get their raw material." The report also found instances where mothers were labeled as "dim, feckless [and] inadequate" and acknowledged that the quality of care in some homes "did not always meet acceptable standards."
Women who resided in these facilities have recounted harsh conditions, with the Church's apology recognizing that many were assigned menial and manual labor, even while heavily pregnant, as a form of punishment. Dame Sarah reiterated the Church's "profoundly sorry for the pain, trauma and stigma experienced and also carried today" by those affected, calling it "not acceptable."
Reactions and Broader Context
However, the Adult Adoptee Movement, representing individuals forcibly separated from their mothers during this period, described the Church's statement as "not a meaningful apology." The group stated, "There is no admission of wrongdoing in this statement. No recognition of the specific harms."
It is important to note that not all forced adoptions involved Church of England mother and baby homes; other religious and welfare organizations also operated such facilities. In 2016, the Catholic Church issued its own apology for the "grief and pain" experienced by mothers who lost children to adoption while under the care of Catholic-run homes and agencies.
The UK government has acknowledged its role in these historical practices. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed that an apology would be made "very soon," adding that the Prime Minister would address this "shameful period in our history."
The BBC first reported in April that the Church of England intended to issue an apology. This follows previous BBC investigations that prompted the Scottish and Welsh governments to apologize to victims in their respective nations in 2023.
Dame Sarah Mullaly described the separation of women and babies without consent as "shocking, absolutely shocking." The Church is now offering support services at the Parish level and has made additional resources available on its website. She expressed "deep regret that this apology comes too late" for some birth mothers who have since passed away.
Source: Church of England apologises for role in forced adoptions