Church of England to say it is ‘deeply sorry’ for its role in historic forced adoptions

The Church operated around 100 mother and baby homes, where unmarried pregnant women were sent.

In a draft apology, the Church said it recognises the “lifelong impact” of the practice.

It reads: “We acknowledge the lifelong impact of these experiences and the part the Church played in a system shaped by attitudes and behaviours that we now recognise as harmful.

“For the pain and trauma experienced - and still carried - by many women and children in Church affiliated mother and baby homes, we are deeply sorry.”

Dr Michael Lambert, of Lancaster University, said an apology from the Church “would mean a great deal” to those affected.

“I think it would go a significant way towards changing the narrative that we understand from the period, from one of sin and shame, to one that recognises the enormous harm and damage these institutions did on a systematic scale to tens of thousands of women and the children that were taken from them,” he told the BBC.

The Church of England has been working on the wording of the apology with survivor groups since last year, ITV News has reported.

The process is understood to have been coordinated by Bishop Joanne Grenfell, the Church’s safeguarding lead.

The newly crowned Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, is also understood to have taken a keen personal interest in the issue.

The Adult Adoptee Movement, a campaign group formed during the 2021 parliamentary inquiry into the practice, said adoptee voices must be heard.

It welcomed the Church’s intention to apologise, but said any apology should be preceded by a “full consultation with mother and adult adoptee survivors”.

The statement continued: “It is also important that it recognises the full scale of the Church’s involvement.

"The Church must work with survivors on a package of appropriate support measures.”

Meanwhile, the Movement for an Adoption Apology, founded in 2010, said any apology must be co-authored with survivors to carry “real meaning”.

It added: “We are grateful for the kindness, diligence and compassion which has been clear throughout this process and now look to the government to take proactive and comprehensive action - with the participation and collaboration of lived-experience survivors, as they formulate the measures we need to support a full, formal, unqualified apology.”

An apology from the Church would likely increase pressure on the Government, which has never formally apologised for its role in forced adoptions.

Campaigners have long argued the state was involved in funding many mother and baby homes.

The draft apology follows a report from the Education Committee, which recommended the Government issue an “unqualified, formal apology” to all those affected.

It also said mothers and adult adoptees should be directly involved in both the apology and any follow-up measures.

Sir Keir Starmer told ITV News there was, in his personal view, a “very strong case for an apology”, adding he would ensure survivors are involved.

He added: “I've asked the teams to speed up what we're doing, I want to get this right with the campaigners and all those affected.”

A Government spokesman previously said: “This abhorrent practice should never have taken place, and our deepest sympathies are with all those affected.

“We take this issue extremely seriously and continue to engage with those affected to provide support.”