Church of England Apologizes for Role in 100 Homes Linked to Forced Adoptions
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 18
Church of England Apologizes for Role in 100 Homes Linked to Forced Adoptions
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 18
Summary
The Church of England issued a formal apology to birth mothers and adoptees over its role in forced adoptions, saying it was “profoundly sorry” for pain, trauma and stigma still carried today.
About 100 mother-and-baby homes were run by or under the Church between 1949 and 1976, where unmarried women were sent to give birth and were often pressured to surrender their babies.
A two-year Church review found records describing the homes as sources of “raw material” for adoption agencies, while some mothers were labeled “dim, feckless [and] inadequate” and conditions sometimes fell below acceptable standards.
The Adult Adoptee Movement called the statement “not a meaningful apology,” saying it lacked a clear admission of wrongdoing and recognition of specific harms.
The apology follows the government’s confirmation that it will soon issue a full state apology for the wider practice, which affected thousands of unmarried mothers.
Apologies have been made, but will the Church and state now pay reparations for 185,000 'stolen' babies?
With unmarked graves and drugging revealed, what other dark secrets do the UK's mother and baby homes still hold?
The Church called mothers 'raw material.' Will opening secret archives reveal the full truth behind forced adoptions?
200,000 Forced Adoptions in Britain: Church of England’s 2026 Apology, Survivor Responses, and the Road to Justice
Overview
On June 18, 2026, the Church of England, led by Archbishop Dame Sarah Mullally, issued a formal apology for its historical role in forced adoptions, acknowledging the deep pain, trauma, and stigma experienced by survivors and their families. The Archbishop emphasized that the shame belonged to the Church, not those affected. While the apology aimed to recognize decades of harm, immediate reactions were mixed: the Adult Adoptee Movement criticized it as performative and lacking real engagement with adoptees, while others saw it as a first step toward healing. This moment marks a significant move toward addressing past injustices.