VOPFN researchers explore the history behind the UK Government’s formal apology for its role in historical forced adoption practices in England.

On 2 July 2026, Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologised in the House of Commons on behalf of the UK Government for the state’s role in historical forced adoption practices in England and the lifelong harm caused to mothers, adopted people and their families.

In a new article for The Conversation, historians Lindsey Earner-Byrne and Janet Greenlees place the apology within the wider history of forced adoption across Britain and Ireland.

The article examines how unmarried mothers were subjected to stigma, secrecy and coercion within a system involving government bodies, local authorities, religious organisations, adoption agencies and mother-and-baby homes. Limited financial and housing support left many women with little meaningful choice about whether they could keep their children.

The authors welcome the formal apology as an important acknowledgement of state responsibility but argue that an apology must be followed by meaningful action. This includes listening to survivors, preserving their testimonies, improving access to adoption records and providing appropriate support and redress.

The article speaks directly to VOPFN’s work examining the histories and experiences of one-parent families and ensuring that lived experience informs research, public understanding and future policy.

Read the full article:
Why the UK Government needed to apologise for its role in historic forced adoptions in England

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