UK apologises for decades of forced adoptions, unveils £4mn support plan

The shame is not yours, the shame was never yours, the shame is ours. 

Keir Starmer 

UK Prime Minister

London: Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday issued a formal apology on behalf of the British state for the forced adoption of thousands of children born to unmarried mothers between the 1950s and 1970s, describing it as “a stain on our history”.

Addressing the House of Commons, Starmer said around 1,85,000 babies were taken from vulnerable wom­en through practices embe­d­d­ed across local authorities, faith-based organisations and health and social care services, including parts of the National Health Service (NHS).

He acknowledged the suffering of mothers, adopted children and their families. He also recognised that many from ethnic minority communities experienced racism, while some children adopted across borders lost links to their heritage and identity.

The government announ­ced a £4 million support package over three years to improve access to adoption records, family reunion services and support groups for affected families. 

It will also create a national online portal to help people trace adoption records. The apology follows similar acknowledgements by the governments of Scotland and Wales. —PTI