The Church of England has apologised for its role in historical forced adoptions, telling those affected that the shame belongs to the church rather than to them. In a statement, the church said it was sorry for the trauma and stigma carried by people who were caught up in the practice. It described the shame as its own, framing the apology as an acknowledgement of a wrong done to families over many years.
The apology was delivered by Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in a video message shared with survivors. She acknowledged that the impact on families had been lifelong for many of those involved, and noted that survivors had spoken of the indignity they faced. A senior bishop spoke of the deep shame that the practice had been allowed to happen to people who were in the care of Christian communities.
The statement did not address compensation directly. It is understood, however, that cases of coercive adoption judged to have a clear connection to the church might be eligible for a wider redress scheme. That left the question of any financial redress to be considered separately from the apology itself.
Some campaigners criticised the way the apology was handled, pointing to a lack of consultation before it was issued. One group representing people who were adopted branded the statement an insult to survivors. They argued that there had been no meaningful engagement and that the apology virtually ignored adoptees themselves.
More broadly, the apology was welcomed in principle, but many said it was only a first step. They called for tangible support to follow, including financial redress and potential compensation for those whose lives were affected. The emphasis from those campaigners was on action rather than words alone.
The Education Select Committee called for better access to records for both adoptees and mothers, as well as improved trauma support for those affected. Campaigners said such measures were needed to help people understand what had happened to them and to their families. The demands reflected long-standing frustration over how these cases had been handled.
A separate government apology is expected within the coming weeks. The church statement, and the response to it, has reopened a painful chapter for families who say they were pressured into giving up children decades ago. Those affected said they would be watching closely to see whether the words are matched by concrete steps.