2016-2025
| Forced Adoption: Britain’s Silent Scandal | International Adoptions: Stolen Children |
| 2021. BBC: If you love your baby… | Britain’s Adoption Scandal – Breaking the Silence |
| Julia Gillard’s Apology for Forced Adoption Speech, Australia, 2013 |
| Sex in a Cold Climate (YouTube link) |
Please note – some of the information and content on this page may be upsetting.
February 2025 – ITN – Forced Adoption – Britain’s Silent Scandal
Documentary from ITV’s Sarah Corker looking at the impact of forced adoption practices during the four decades that followed the Second World War.
A powerful investigative programme which covers forced and coerced adoption practices and the lifelong impact on mothers, adoptees and other family members. This programme looks at the broader issues, including the use of lactation suppressants to prevent young mothers “bonding” with their babies and the general cruelty and callousness that has impacted so many people, for so many years.
Also included is ITV’s investigation into the dangers of DES (Diethylstilboestrol), one of the drugs used as a lactation suppressant for many years, despite the health risks being known for decades.
The British Government needs to acknowledge these issues and issue a formal apology as soon as possible.
International Adoptions – a global scandal
Scotland’s Apology
former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon
22 March, 2023
May 2021 – BBC – If you Love your baby…
On Tuesday 25th May, 2021, a letter from the Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) was delivered by the late David Amess MP to Boris Johnson, Prime Minister asking for an apology for historical adoption practices.
A news item on this letter and our campaign was broadcast on the BBC1 Evening News at 6pm by Duncan Kennedy, a BBC journalist. Another piece by Duncan Kennedy which covered the experiences of adopted adults, aired on Wednesday 26th May, on the BBC News Channel
Since February 2021, Duncan has interviewed a number of birth mothers and adopted adults. His documentary about their experiences aired on the BBC News Channel on Saturday 29th May 2021, and is available on BBC iPlayer.
We have been in touch with Duncan for a number of years and value his determination to make our issue public. Duncan was in Australia in 2013 when Prime Minister Julia Gillard, apologised. He made a documentary about the events there. Transcript BBC News Pain of Australia Forced Adoption Policy.pdf (acu.edu.au)
Despite letters to MPs, a Debate in Parliament in 2018 and various other signs of progress here, it has been very difficult to get a response from Parliament. However, less than a week after the Duncan Kennedy reports on BBC News, Harriet Harman MP Chair of The Joint Committee on Human Rights agreed to look into the matter of Forced Adoptions.
An Early Day Motion was tabled: Apology for Forced Adoption – Early Day Motions – UK Parliament
Please write to your MP requesting that they give it their full support and sign it.
The Duncan Kennedy documentary about adoptions aired on BBC News Channel at 1.30.pm and 8.30pm on Saturday 29th May, and again at 4.30pm on Sunday 30th May. The full 30 minute version is available on BBC iPlayer. A shorter version of that documentary can be viewed below:
9 November, 2016
Britain’s Adoption Scandal – Breaking the Silence
On 9th November, 2016, a documentary was broadcast which scrutinised adoption practices during the three decades following the Second World War.
Called Britain’s Adoption Scandal – Breaking the Silence, it featured a number of women who bravely told their stories on camera, revealing the harsh treatment endured by young, unmarried mothers during these decades. The documentary was made by Ronachan Films. It took over year to complete and involved painstaking research and the interviewing of many affected by the practices of that time.
The documentary was commissioned by Tom Giles of ITV, after he read the letter in the Times, sent by MAA and signed by numerous high profile supporters. Tom wanted to know more about this forgotten part of our recent history.
