| JCHR Inquiry 2022 | Scotland’s Formal Apology, March 2023 |
| RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACCOMPANY A FORMAL APOLOGY |
| MAA SCOTLAND PRESS RELEASE – BIRTHLINK DESTROYS DOCUMENTS |
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Short comment – Secretary of State for Education
MAA Media Release
for immediate use
Movement for an Adoption Apology meets with Secretary of State for Education
The Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) met with Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, Bridget Phillipson, on Tuesday 14th October. The meeting was the culmination of years of campaigning for an apology for the injustice of historic forced adoption practices.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) held an inquiry into this matter in 2021/2022. Their report was published on July 15, 2022. In it they recommended that the
…/ click here for full text
MAA meets Minister Bridget Phillipson
Forced adoption scandal: Women meet with Secretary of State to push for a public apology.
4 September, 2025
More coverage on Mother and Baby Homes from ITV’s Sarah Corner.
ITV News latest – Government admits that Forced Adoption is a ‘stain on society’.
Guardian article covering some of the issues.
Long Lost Family:
The Mother and Baby Home Scandal
A two-part programme exploring the impact of forced adoption practices and the lifelong effects on young mothers who were sent to harsh institutions known as ‘Mother and Baby homes’.
Broadcast on 3 and 4 September at 9pm.
Woman’s Hour – BBC Radio 4
On BBC Radio 4, Woman’s Hour have twice covered some of the issues on which we are campaigning. Recordings of the interviews below:
Woman’s Hour, Friday 29 August, 2025
Woman’s Hour – Tuesday 2 September, 2025
Tonight’s full report from Sarah Corker, ITV News
21 August, 2025 – Harriet Sherwood, The Guardian
Gordon Brown calls for apologies over
forced adoptions in England and Wales
Campaigners say time running out to issue formal apology
Former PM Gordon Brown
Has spoken on on behalf of everyone affected by historic forced adoption.
Speaking in an interview with ITV’s Sarah Corker, Mr Brown spoke of the hurt and damage caused by such practices and said that the government must now apologise to those affected.
MAA Scotland – Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 2 August 2025
In April and May 2021, precious letters, photographs, documents and other information were destroyed by Birthlink… to ‘make room in their filing cabinets’.
They covered up the wanton destruction until it was discovered during an inspection in 2023, after which they were fined for their actions.
This is is why we are demanding that Westminster legislate for the protection of all records and data stored in connection with forced family separation. The scale and impact of this latest tragedy has yet to be determined.
Click here to read the full press release.
If you have concerns about your records, please contact Birthlink directly:
Email: dataprotection@birthlink.org.uk
Telephone: 0131 225 6441, select option 2
Protest outside Parliament – 16th July, 2025
People who were forcibly Adopted as babies desperately need an apology.
We are still suffering – people affected by forced adoption demand government apology.
Campaigners call on Prime Minister to apologise for historic forced adoptions.
June 2025
MAA Newsletters
We recently switched to a different newsletter email provider.
Since then, we’ve discovered that our emails are sometimes being identified as junk / spam, rather than arriving in email inboxes. 😕
Our latest newsletter was sent on 15th June.
If you are on our list and haven’t received it, please check your junk / spam folder. If it isn’t there either, you can read the latest version here:
https://share.sender.net/campaigns/aRm1/maa-news-and-updates-may-june-2025
23 May, 2025
Parkside Cemetery, Kendal, Cumbria
ITV News – Kendal Memorial Service and St. Agnes Commemorative event
20 May, 2025
News piece and interview on commemorative events in England and the government’s failure to respond, to act… or to care.
10th May, 2025
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1de5xy9qr4o
6th May, 2025 – ITV News
Sarah Corker reveals more about
historic forced adoption practices
29th April, 2025 – Request from Long Lost Family
“Long Lost Family are making a special two part series for ITV on mother and baby homes and are keen to hear from anyone with a connection to St Pelagia’s or St Joseph’s homes in Highgate.
Please contact shabnam.karimzada@walltowall.co.uk if you have any information on how adoptions from these homes were handled. “
15th April, 2025 – ITV news
The lifelong impact of forced adoption
10th April, 2025 – ITV news – the risks and impact of DES
The pregnancy drug – Diethlystilbestrol commonly known as DES – was given to hundreds of thousands of women, some who have developed rare cancers. It was used in Mother and Baby Homes and NHS Hospitals to suppress breastmilk in young unmarried mothers whose babies were taken for adoption and is likely to have caused long term medical problems.
Press Release – Monday 8th April
*** PRESS RELEASE from Phil Frampton – April 8th 2025 ***
“A Historic Moment for Unmarried Mothers in the UK
We are incredibly proud to announce a monumental step toward recognizing the strength and resilience of unmarried mothers in post-war Britain. Media representatives are invited to join us on Saturday, May 10th, at 12 noon, St Agnes, Cornwall, when we will unveil the country’s first public monument to honour these courageous women—a large slate plaque that will stand as a tribute to their enduring spirit.”
“For too long, these women in Britain faced unimaginable persecution, simply for becoming pregnant. The government and religious institutions of the time subjected them to cruel treatment, pressuring them to surrender their babies to the adoption market.
This monument serves as a reminder of the suffering they endured, a symbol of healing for those still affected by this tragic chapter in our history.”
You are invited to join us at:
Rosemundy House
St Agnes
Cornwall, TR5 0UF
Saturday, May 10th at 12 noon
“This plaque, along with another due to be unveiled in Kendal, Cumbria, on May 23rd, marks the true beginning of a long-overdue national movement. It is our hope that these public monuments will help heal the wounds of the millions impacted by this barbaric practice.”
“The St Agnes plaque will be placed on the exterior boundary wall of Rosemundy House, now a hotel, which was once a Mother and Baby home for unmarried mothers. This location holds deep historical significance, as highlighted in the BBC’s award-winning documentary, Crying Shame – watch excerpts here: https://youtu.be/oa5YzHTmjik?si=yyvo52tvqeCGQf40“
“The next crucial step is for the new Labour Government to issue a full apology and take restorative actions, such as providing counselling and search support for the mothers and those who were forcibly adopted, as recommended in 2022 by the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights.”
Dr Phil Frampton
Rosemundy Commemoration Committee
For media inquiries and additional information, please contact:
Rosemundy Commemoration Committee
phil@philframpton.co.uk
For: Movement for an Adoption Apology
maa.adoptionapology@gmail.com
Memorial Service – Kendal – 23 May 2025
We now have details of the Kendal Memorial Service for the babies who died in St. Monica’s Mother and Baby home, then were buried in unmarked graves, and for all the mothers who suffered there.
This event is the culmination of nearly two decades of campaigning by Stephen Hindley. Stephen has tirelessly fought for recognition of the terrible injustices suffered by his late wife, Judy, and her first son (also named Stephen).
Baby Stephen died in St. Monica’s, Kendal at just 11 weeks old without receiving any medical treatment for his conditions, or any kindness or human decency from those charged with his care.
The Memorial Service will be held at:
Kendal Parkside Road Cemetery
Parkside Road
Kendal, LA9 7DU
on
Friday 23rd May, 2025
at 13.30
(Service starts at 14.00)
A special memorial garden will be dedicated to
the memory of all those affected.
The Bishop will be conducting the service.
Reporters from both BBC & ITV, local midwives and various dignitaries will be present.
Our campaign will be represented by members of the committee and key supporters such as Dr Michael Lambert.
Please note: The Council (who are funding this event) need to know how many people are attending as there will be a buffet after the service.
If you would like to be part of this momentous occasion, please email Josh McLeod, no later than 9th May 2025: Josh.McLeod@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Please include your contact details and information on any dietary or mobility requirements.
A special invitation will be sent to those attending, so please reply as soon as you can to ensure your invitation is posted to you in good time.
Recording of online event – Saturday 5th April
We are grateful that the Adult Adoptee Movement introduced MAA to Dr. Lynn Zubov, a first mother and highly qualified academic who has been conducting research into the impact of adoption on adoptees and first families.
On Saturday 5th April, Lynn spoke to an audience of adoptees and first families about her experiences and research. Her findings provide a very sobering insight into the harms caused by adoption and its impact on the mental health of adoptees and mothers.
We encourage everyone to watch/share.
Dr. Zubov’s survey is still open, if you are interested in taking part.
13th March, 2025
ITV’s Sarah Corker exposes more about the impact of DES on young single mothers.
TUC Women’s Conference, 5-7 March, 2025
27 February, 2025
21 February, 2025
Press Release
*** Press Release – for immediate use ***
Movement for an Adoption Apology are delighted to announce that they have secured the services of leading law firm McCue Jury & Partners.
We are reminded everyday of the importance of our fight to secure justice for our members. MAA & McCue Jury & Partners believe we have a strong legal case, and that the government must now answer challenging questions. We know how vitally important a formal apology and reparations are to each and every member of MAA, to every adopted person, and to their extended families.
Following the UK Governments failure to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Joint Committee on Human Rights’ Inquiry into the practice of forced adoption, including its failure to provide any sort of meaningful redress or a formal apology for the abhorrent practices which it oversaw. We have instructed human rights and public interest litigation firm McCue Jury & Partners to explore our legal options.
McCue Jury & Partners are a human rights and public interest litigation firm based in London and Bristol and who have acted on a number of high profile cases related to historic injustices. Including in relation to the Omagh bombing, the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, the BA 149 hostage scandal and the nuclear test veterans.
20th February, 2025
Tonight – documentary piece on forced adoption
30-minute programme shown on 20th February at 8.30pm
ITV News
19th February, 2025
BBC News – 6pm with Duncan Kennedy
BBC Breakfast
10th February, 2025
BBC Radio 5 interview
9 February, 2025
In the Guardian today:
‘Time running out’ for UK to apologise over forced adoptions
Campaigners demand government issue formal apology to women forced to give up their babies in 1950s-70s
29th January, 2025
BBC South East
I felt shame before they took my baby – article
25th January, 2025
MAA Open Day in London
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