Forced adoption in the United Kingdom

Forced adoption is the practice of removing children permanently from their parents and the subsequent adoption of those children, following intervention by the Children's Services department of a Local Authority in the United Kingdom. In 2022, the Joint Committee on Human Rights conducted an Inquiry into forced adoption practices. The subsequent report, The Violation of Family Life: The Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women, 1949-1976, was issued in July 2022. The Committee took evidence from birth mothers, adult adoptees, academics and adoption professionals. It concluded that mothers were subject to cruel and inhumane treatment and that both mothers and children suffered long term effects. Amongst other recommendations, the Committee called on the UK government to make a formal apology and to put in place appropriate support services. In its response in March 2023, the government declined to issue an apology. In June 2026, cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson, said the Labour government will apologise to victims of historical forced adoptions in England, following years of campaigning from mothers and adoptees, with outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announcing a full and formal apology in the Houses of Parliament on 2 July 2026.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0