When Sir Keir Starmer stood in the House of Commons and said "the shame is ours", it was the culmination of decades of pain, campaigning, and finally, official acknowledgment. The prime minister was apologising on behalf of the British state for one of the most systematic, hidden injustices of the 20th century: forced adoptions.
Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 185,000 babies were taken from their mothers in England and Wales. These were not isolated cases. The practice was embedded across local authorities, religious organisations, and parts of what is now the NHS. Mothers—many young, unmarried, and without support—were coerced, bullied, or misled into giving up their children. They were told they were unfit, cut off from their families, and made to feel ashamed. The children were sent to strangers, often growing up believing they had been unwanted, and many were denied access to their records and medical history.
“Explains historical forced adoptions in the UK and the 2026 state apology.”
The apology comes after years of campaigning from mothers, adoptees, and their wider families, and parliamentary reports into the issue. Speaking in the Commons, Starmer said: "The shame was never yours. The shame is ours." He added that the state "did not do enough to protect mothers, children and families from harm." The government has announced £4 million over three years to improve access to adoption records and family reunion services, but no compensation scheme has been put in place. Campaigners and opposition parties have called for compensation, with the Scottish government also urged to apologise and follow suit.
For UK readers, this is not just a historical footnote. Thousands of people alive today were directly affected—mothers who carried the loss for decades, and adopted adults who may still be searching for their biological families. The apology is a formal recognition of state wrongdoing, but as the Adult Adoptee Movement said, "the measure of this apology will not be the words spoken today, but the actions taken tomorrow." The support package aims to help people access records and reconnect, but many campaigners feel more is needed.
Q: Why were forced adoptions allowed to happen? They were driven by social stigma against unmarried mothers. Women were often pressured by religious organisations, social workers, and medical staff into signing adoption papers, sometimes without fully understanding what they were doing. The state legitimised and funded these systems.
Q: How many people were affected? An estimated 185,000 babies were taken from their mothers in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976. That figure does not include Scotland or Northern Ireland, where similar practices occurred.
Q: Will victims get compensation? Not yet. The government has announced a £4 million support package for better access to records and family reunion services, but no compensation scheme. Campaign groups and opposition parties are calling for financial redress.
The government has pledged to establish support groups for mothers and adopted adults, run by the Department for Education. The Scottish government has been urged to issue its own apology. Campaigners will continue to push for compensation. As the Movement for an Adoption Apology noted, the apology "had come too late for a significant number of people" but is a positive step for the hundreds of thousands still living with loss.