| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2018 | 2021-2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
2010
Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) was founded by Veronica Smith, Jean Robertson-Molloy, Helen Tomkins, Helen Jeffreys, and Sue Elliott.
2012
14 June 2012
MAA website set up with help and support from Natalie Bennett – now Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle. MAA is incredibly grateful to Baroness Bennett who provided support for the website and the campaign for nearly a decade.3 July 2012
On Tuesday 3rd July, at 3.00pm, approximately 50 people attended a Parliamentary meeting chaired by John Leech MP and facilitated by Phil Frampton. John leech assured those present that he would continue to support our efforts to raise awareness.
2013
14 January 2013
NORCAP applied for insolvency, ceased trading and was closed on 22 February, 2013.This was a huge loss in terms of support and the administration of their Adoption Contact Register which was passed to PAC UK.
2014
February, 2014
The film “Philomena” was released. Members of the MAA committee protested in Leicester Square about the lack of Government response.2015
March 2015
A letter was published in The Times highlighting the issues, challenges and heartache of forced and coerced adoption practices. It urged the government to issue a formal apology, citing the example of Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard and her recent national apology to those affected by forced adoption practices in Australia,26 October, 2015
Early Day Motion 590 on Forced Child Adoption tabled.
“That this House recognises the suffering caused by forced child adoptions during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, which took place due to social pressures on women who had children outside of marriage; notes the unacceptable adoption and care practices of the past, such as not giving information about welfare services, including housing and financial help which were available at the time, and not questioning whether women putting their children up for adoption had given informed consent; further recognises the negligence of previous governments with regard to ensuring that the care provided for unmarried mothers was appropriate and that they and their children were not mistreated or discriminated against, resulting in many women suffering traumatising pre and post-natal experiences, and children being denied contact with their birth parents; and calls on the Government to apologise in order to go some way toward helping the parents and children who were victims of these practices.“
2016
9 November, 2016
Documentary “Britain’s Adoption Scandal – Breaking the Silence“, by Ronachan Films, was broadcast on ITV at prime time. The programme took over a year to make and involved painstaking research and numerous interviews.Ronachan Films were so shocked by the evidence they had compiled on forced adoption that they approached prominent human rights law firm, Bhatt Murphy for advice. They in turn enlisted a prominent barrister who felt we had a strong case.
It was bitterly disappointing that the case could not go forward due solely to challenges with the legal aid system, which could not be overcome.
The merits of the case itself stand.2018
12 July 2018
Debate in Parliament on “The Practice of Forced Adoption in the UK”, submitted by Alison McGovern MP. Debate Pack.
Read the full Debate in Hansard.On 24 October, 2018, several months after the Parliamentary debate, 6 members of the MAA Committee met with Minister Nadhim Zahawi and two high-level Social Services personnel.
The Minister promised that there would be further investigation and action would be taken. He promised prompt action. None was taken.
There was no further contact.
2021-2022
2021-2022 Parliamentary Inquiry
Roundtable meetings and evidence gathering prior to the Parliamentary Inquiry held by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR).
“The Right to family life: adoption of children of unmarried women 1949-1976“.The parameters of the Inquiry were not discussed with those affected.
Unfortunately, the years chosen, 1949 – 1976 , constrained the data and excluded a large number of people.
First hand accounts have confirmed that historic forced adoption practices continued well into the 1980s.
JCHR Call for Evidence.
People affected were asked to share their experiences.
Evidence gathering events took place between 15 December 2021 and 25 May 2022.
The resultant damning report, “The Violation of Family Life: Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women 1949-1976” included evidence from a large number of people.
In November the JCHR released an additional document entitled “How women were persuaded to give up their children“. They also set up a small exhibition showing the harms inflicted on young mothers and adoptees.
2023
The Government did not issue their formal response to the Inquiry until 21 February, 2023. After waiting so long, the report was profoundly disappointing as it took no account of any of the recommendations in the JCHR Report.
22 March 2023
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, issued a formal apology to all those affected by historic forced adoption practices in Scotland.25 April, 2023
Julie Morgan, Deputy Social Services Minister, issued a formal apology in Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament, to everyone who had been affected by these practices in Wales.6 July, 2023
MAA wrote to the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, asking him to reconsider the Government’s decision.
The letter was hand-delivered to No. 10 by the late David Amess MP.
MAA has yet to receive any reply.The apologies delivered in Scotland and Wales generated a lot of media interest.
MAA continued to raise awareness, discuss the issues and do as much as possible to keep this issue in public awareness.
2024
March 2024
MAA attended the TUC Women’s Conference in London and set up a new online petition which was promoted at every opportunity.
In Scotland, a new musical production called “The Fallen” was performed to great acclaim.1 June 2024
MAA held the first in-person event since the pandemic. Set up as a ‘blended’ meeting it included the option for those who could not travel to attend via zoom.
The event was a great success.30 June, 2024
Veronica Smith, who had been at the forefront of the MAA campaign since it’s inception, passed away suddenly, following a short illness. This reinforced the sense of urgency felt by campaigners. who are all getting older. Time is running out.July, 2024 and onwards.
The revelation that 44 babies died in St. Monica’s Mother and Baby home, and had been buried in unmarked graves in a Kendal cemetery, sparked a new wave of investigation by ITV’s Sarah Corker.11 September, 2024
Short film “The Removed“, by Swift Rocket Films, was released to great acclaim.
This powerful short piece has won and is still winning many awards at international film festivals.
The MAA Campaign is incredibly grateful for the attention this film is bringing to our campaign and for the support and kindness of Rebecca and Johnny Rose of Swift Rocket Films.November, 2024
Book Launch: Taken: Experiences of Forced Adoption, comprising personal accounts from mothers and adoptees, and compiled and written by Karen Constantine.
The author was sent to a Mother and Baby home at the tender age of 15, though she managed to keep her son. She provides narrative commentary on the cruelty and harm caused by historic forced adoption practices, which for too long have been shrouded in secrecy. The experiences of both mothers and adoptees show very clearly the suffering and lifelong trauma which affects all who live with the aftermath of post World War Two forced adoption practices.Coverage on the revelations about St. Monica’s continued on ITV with this report from Sarah Corker.
2025
January
MAA Open day 25 January, 2025. This event was filmed by ITN as part of a longer documentary piece, broadcast 20 February, 2025.BBC – coverage from BBC South East, BBC Breakfast, and BBC News with Duncan Kennedy.
March
MAA again attended the TUC Women’s Conference in London and promoted the campaign via leaflets and an open letter, which garnered many signatures.10 May – Commemorative event in St. Agnes, Cornwall on the site of a former Mother and Baby ‘home’, Rosemundy House, which is now a hotel.
23 May – Memorial event in Kendal. The Bishop of Carlisle conducted a service for the babies who died in St. Monica’s Mother and Baby ‘home’, and were buried in unmarked graves. This event was the result of many years of campaigning by Stephen Hindley on behalf of his late wife Judy and her infant son, also called Stephen, who died in St. Monica’s under difficult circumstances.
16 July, 2025 – Protest outside Parliament
Adoptees, first mothers, siblings, supporters and others gathered in Parliament Square to protest that we are still waiting for an apology from Government. The redoubtable Zara Phillips was the driving force behind this event. Her passion and determination encouraged people to travel from all over the UK to participate.
August, 2025
In an interview with Sarah Corker, former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown said the government should apologise to all those affected by forced adoption practices during the decades which which followed the Second World War.
The former Prime Minister’s interview was also cited in The Guardian in an article by Harriet Sherwood.September, 2025
Increased media coverage:
Woman’s Hour (BBC Radio 4) – 29 August and 2 September
ITV’s Long Lost Family broadcast a two-part special on 3 and 4 September.
These programmes focussed on forced adoptions following the second World War and the cruel way that institutions, known as ‘Mother and Baby homes’, were used as part of the process to separate babies from their mothers.
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