Church of England Apologizes for Forced Adoptions at Mother and Baby Homes

The Church of England apologized on Thursday for its role in forced adoptions at affiliated mother and baby homes, acknowledging the profound harm experienced by unmarried women and their children from 1949 to 1976. Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally, the first woman to lead the Church of England and spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, issued the formal apology as the church released a comprehensive report on conditions at these institutions.

The report revealed systemic abuse and exploitation at the homes, where women and girls were forced to perform menial labor as "correction" for having children out of wedlock. Babies were sometimes treated as commodities to meet adoption demand, and approximately 185,000 children born to unmarried mothers were put up for adoption in England and Wales during this period. Mullally stated: "We are profoundly sorry for the pain, trauma and stigma experienced — and still carried — by many people because of historical adoption practices in homes affiliated to the Church of England. We have heard firsthand the accounts of mothers who were separated from their babies in circumstances where they had very few meaningful choices."

The investigation found a stark contradiction between official church policy and actual practice. While church guidance emphasized that unmarried women had the right to keep their children and that children had the right to remain with their mothers, staff frequently disregarded these policies and worked closely with adoption agencies to facilitate separations. The report noted that such guidance coexisted with dehumanizing and dismissive language that fell short of the care expected for vulnerable individuals.

The forced adoptions occurred during a period marked by deep social stigma, shame, and secrecy surrounding unmarried mothers and their children, even as broader attitudes toward sex and marriage were beginning to evolve. The apology represents a significant acknowledgment by the Church of England of historical institutional failures and the lasting impact on affected families.