The catholic church has apologised for its role in “forced adoptions”, with unmarried women pressurised to hand over their babies, over a 30-year period in the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
In an ITV documentary, broadcast Wednesday 9 November, the head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said sorry for its part in the “hurt” caused by this. He added: “Sadly for unmarried mothers, adoption was considered to be in the best interests of the mother and child because of the associated stigma and the lack of support for lone parents.”
It’s thought an estimated half a million children were given up for adoption during a period when the Catholic church, the Church of England and the Salvation Army ran “mother and baby homes” and adoption agencies in the UK.
It’s an issue highlighted in the 2013 film Philomena, starring Judi Dench, which tells the true-story of an Irish woman searching for her son after being pressured to give him up for adoption by nuns when she was a teenager.
The Church of England also expressed regret for the hurt caused in a statement given to the Guardian. “What was thought to be the right thing to do at the time has caused great hurt. That is a matter of great regret,” said a spokesperson, although no statement from the church had been provided to the ITV programme in advance of the preview transmission.
Since 1975, adopted children have had the legal right to obtain their birth and adoption records, and many Church of England organisations involved in adoption now help adopted children trace their birth mothers.
Were you personally affected by this? How did it affect you? Did you go in search of your child or were you adopted? What help did you get the from the catholic church in finding your parent or child? Do you think there should be an inquiry into the handling of adoptions up to 1976? Share your stories with us.
