Aysu Biçer
02 July 2026•Update: 02 July 2026
The UK government on Thursday issued a formal apology for the historic practice of forced adoption in England, with British Premier Keir Starmer acknowledging the role of the state in what he described as an injustice that affected an estimated 185,000 mothers, adopted people, and their wider families.
The apology was accompanied by a £4 million ($5.3 million) package of support over three years, aimed at helping those affected access adoption records, reconnect with relatives, and document the long-term impact of the practices.
Speaking in Parliament ahead of a reception for campaigners in Westminster, Starmer said what had happened to mothers and their children "should never have happened."
Reflecting on adoption practices that took place primarily between 1949 and 1976, Starmer said the state had failed thousands of families.
Addressing campaigners watching from the House of Commons gallery, he said: "The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours. And I say that on behalf of the whole country, I say it to every single person impacted, we are deeply and profoundly sorry."
The government said the apology recognizes that many women were denied genuine choice, made to feel ashamed or unworthy, and that children were taken from their birth families, their identity, and their history.
It also acknowledged that fathers and wider families were affected, with harm lasting across lifetimes and, in some cases, generations.
The apology relates to historical adoption practices in England.
Scotland and Wales have each issued their own formal apologies, which the UK government said it supports, while work is underway in Northern Ireland to establish a statutory public inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and workhouses led by the Northern Ireland Executive.
The government also acknowledged that some people's experiences extended beyond the 1949 to 1976 period and that it remained deeply upsetting to hear examples where coercive practices continued.
It said today's adoption system is fundamentally different, with strong legal safeguards, clear consent requirements, and independent judicial oversight.
