The Church of England has apologised for its role in historical adoption practices, particularly in mother and baby homes. Mothers and adoptees who came into contact with these homes have described the profound and lasting impact of these experiences. Published alongside new research into these homes, the apology recognises the impact on people affected and sets out the Church’s commitment to listening, learning and responding with honesty and compassion.
Giving the apology on behalf of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, said:
“We are profoundly sorry for the pain, trauma and stigma experienced – and still carried – by many people because of historical adoption practices in homes affiliated to the Church of England.
“We have heard first-hand the accounts of mothers who were separated from their babies in circumstances where they had very few meaningful choices.
“We know that many women and girls were at times made to carry out menial and manual work as a form of ‘correction’.
“We also recognise where prejudice – including on the grounds of race and disability – shaped and defined experiences and outcomes.”
“We are listening to the voices of people affected. They have told us about the pain, shame and indignity experienced both then and now.
“Today, we say to each of you: the shame you were made to feel was wrong. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, we are deeply ashamed that this happened to people in the care of Christian communities.
“All of this took place in a society that often valued secrecy and respectability over compassion and care. The Church of England was part of that society and helped to sustain those attitudes. While homes were encouraged to keep mothers and babies together, this often did not happen.
“For many mothers, children, fathers and wider families affected by these practices, the impact has been lifelong.
“These practices are in the past and must never happen again. We will not condone or repeat them. Our commitment now is to listen, to lament and to learn – to acknowledge this history and respond with openness, reflection and learning, and to ensure that this leads to change.
“We pay tribute to the people who have shared their stories and brought these personal and painful experiences to light. Their courage has helped to deepen our understanding of this history and the harm caused, and to ensure that first-hand accounts are heard.
“We want to acknowledge the important and often unseen work of organisations and charities who for many years have supported mothers, adoptees and families affected by adoption, and whose knowledge and care are invaluable.
“We pray for all people who carry these experiences, and for the grace to be a Church where everyone is treated with the love and dignity that comes from being made in God’s image.”
Listening and learning from lived experience
Listening to people directly affected has been an important part of this work.
We have heard first-hand accounts through the research project, as well as testimony shared via dioceses and other Church contexts. We have also carefully considered accounts shared publicly, including in media coverage, Parliamentary scrutiny, and by campaign and support organisations.
These testimonies have been deeply moving, speaking to the lasting impact carried by many. We are very grateful to all those who have shared their experiences, whether directly with this work or more widely.
Testimonies
The video at the top of this page features the voices of Penny and Tina, two unrelated women who have courageously and generously shared their stories. The video is presented by Rev Elinor Delaney, a priest in the Diocese of London with a background as a nurse and a broadcaster.
Our research
Summary
The Church of England has carried out research into its involvement in mother and baby homes between 1949 and 1976. (The period 1949 to 1976 reflects the definition used by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which examined adoption practices affecting unmarried mothers and their children during these years, which were bookended by landmark adoption legislation.)
The aim of the Church of England’s work was to better understand its role within a wider system shaped by the social attitudes and laws of the time, when unmarried mothers often faced stigma and had limited support.
The research draws mainly on archival records held at Lambeth Palace Library, including material from the Church of England’s Moral Welfare Council and its successor, the Board for Social Responsibility. It also includes documents such as meeting minutes, policy papers, annual reports from homes, and guidance issued to staff and chaplains.
These records were used to understand how homes were run, how decisions were made, and how they were connected to dioceses and wider Church structures.
It was not possible to produce a complete history. Records are incomplete, spread across many organisations, and in some cases have been lost or were never kept. Many records are held separately in local archives, and some no longer exist.
The research is based on evidence, but it can only tell part of the story because it relies on whatever information has survived and is still available. It is also limited because it reflects the perspectives of officials and people in administrative roles.
Improving access to records is important. We welcome the Government’s work to make it easier for people to find and access personal records, so individuals and families can learn more about their own histories. Dioceses should no longer hold adoption records and, where they do, we are encouraging dioceses to transfer them to relevant local archives as soon as possible.
Findings
The Church of England was a significant provider of mother and baby homes. We believe the number of mothers and babies connected to Church of England-affiliated homes is likely to be in the tens of thousands across the period. However, because of the nature of the records that still exist, it is not possible to give a precise figure with confidence.
We cannot give a precise number because we only have a sample of records, we can say with confidence:
- Around 185,000 children born to unmarried mothers were adopted across England and Wales during this period altogether, in all contexts.
- The Church of England was one of a number of providers of mother and baby homes within that wider system.
- The Church of England was involved in a large number of homes (potentially over 200 over time), though not all operated simultaneously and the level of central oversight varied.
The homes operated under decentralised systems. Responsibility and decision-making were not held in one place.
Some homes were run directly by dioceses. Others were run by independent or semi-independent committees, with different levels of Church oversight.
At a national level, the Church’s Moral Welfare Council (later the Board for Social Responsibility) provided guidance, training and coordination. It advised dioceses and sought to influence government policy and practice.
The Church of England Moral Welfare Council’s guidance was clear that mothers and babies should be kept together where possible, and that any adoption should be with the mother’s consent. However, we are aware that this was not always followed in practice.
Standards and experience varied between homes. In some cases, attitudes were judgemental, and conditions were difficult. Limited resources, lack of alternative support, and wider social pressures often shaped what happened in practice.
Church bodies were aware that some homes did not meet acceptable standards and, following internal reviews in the late 1960s, they began to assess homes, identify those below standard, and consider whether some should improve, change their arrangements, or close if they could not meet acceptable levels of care.
They also knew that pressure on staff and services could affect the care and support offered.
These findings are based on the records that have been identified so far. Experiences varied widely, and this history cannot be reduced to a single account
Conclusions
The research and personal testimonies show that there were examples of care and kindness in some homes and that many staff sought to provide what they believed was support in difficult circumstances.
However, many people have described experiences of harm and lasting trauma associated with their time in these settings.
Among the harms experienced by mothers and children, accounts describe people being categorised or treated differently because of physical disability or the colour of their skin, including being considered less likely to be adopted or placed into long-term institutional care. Some testimonies speak powerfully of the lasting impact of this – including experiences of exclusion and stigma both within care settings and wider society.
One clear gap in the records is the voices of people most affected. The experiences of mothers, their children and families are often missing or only partly recorded. During this work, we have listened to people who were affected, including through meetings and personal testimonies alongside the archival research and are continuing to do so.
Some accounts are included here. Each is personal. There are also shared themes of life in these homes. We are grateful to everyone who has shared their experiences.