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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/12/mps-urge-theresa-may-to-apologise-for-pain-of-forced-adoption-policy
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| MPs urge Theresa May to apologise for ‘pain’ of forced adoption policy | MPs urge Theresa May to apologise for ‘pain’ of forced adoption policy |
| (4 months later) | |
| MPs have urged the prime minister to apologise on behalf of the nation to women who were forced to hand over babies for adoption in the 1950s, 60s and 70s because of social disapproval of unmarried mothers. | MPs have urged the prime minister to apologise on behalf of the nation to women who were forced to hand over babies for adoption in the 1950s, 60s and 70s because of social disapproval of unmarried mothers. |
| An estimated half a million babies were adopted in the years preceding legal reforms in the mid-1970s. Many women have since come forward to say they were coerced into handing over their babies by “moral welfare officers”, the forerunners of social workers, and church-run mother-and-baby homes, the House of Commons heard. | An estimated half a million babies were adopted in the years preceding legal reforms in the mid-1970s. Many women have since come forward to say they were coerced into handing over their babies by “moral welfare officers”, the forerunners of social workers, and church-run mother-and-baby homes, the House of Commons heard. |
| The motion calling for recognition of the “pain and suffering that the practice of forced adoption caused many women from the 1960s onwards” was tabled by a group of cross-party backbench MPs. It also said the government must issue an apology for the policies and practices behind it. | The motion calling for recognition of the “pain and suffering that the practice of forced adoption caused many women from the 1960s onwards” was tabled by a group of cross-party backbench MPs. It also said the government must issue an apology for the policies and practices behind it. |
| Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Wirral South, who has led demands for a prime ministerial apology, said: “All of [the women] must have been profoundly changed by their experience.” | Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Wirral South, who has led demands for a prime ministerial apology, said: “All of [the women] must have been profoundly changed by their experience.” |
| She spoke of a “culture of terror and shame” at the time in which women were denied basic rights and not informed of benefits that might have helped them keep their families together. | She spoke of a “culture of terror and shame” at the time in which women were denied basic rights and not informed of benefits that might have helped them keep their families together. |
| Unmarried women were often sent to “draconian” mother-and-baby homes to do menial work during their pregnancies. “Women and children were hidden away to protect the fragile sensibilities of others, and it was a great injustice – and then that culture of terror and shame has made them keep quiet for far too long,” McGovern said. | Unmarried women were often sent to “draconian” mother-and-baby homes to do menial work during their pregnancies. “Women and children were hidden away to protect the fragile sensibilities of others, and it was a great injustice – and then that culture of terror and shame has made them keep quiet for far too long,” McGovern said. |
| “We’ve been told about this generation of mums, that she gave the baby up, a phrase that undoubtedly implies consent when actually that was never true. | “We’ve been told about this generation of mums, that she gave the baby up, a phrase that undoubtedly implies consent when actually that was never true. |
| “The long shadow of this has huge implications for the mental health of mothers and their children.” | “The long shadow of this has huge implications for the mental health of mothers and their children.” |
| Among the cases cited in the backbench debate was the former Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth Ann Keen, who became pregnant at the age of 17 in 1966. She was reunited with her son more than 30 years later. | Among the cases cited in the backbench debate was the former Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth Ann Keen, who became pregnant at the age of 17 in 1966. She was reunited with her son more than 30 years later. |
| Keen was told by a moral welfare worker that her baby “would cause her family hardship”, said McGovern. “She was told if she loved the baby she would give it away, she was told it was for the best.” | Keen was told by a moral welfare worker that her baby “would cause her family hardship”, said McGovern. “She was told if she loved the baby she would give it away, she was told it was for the best.” |
| The MP pointed to apologies issued over similar historical forced adoptions by Julia Gillard, the then Australian prime minister, in 2013, and by Leo Varadkar, the Irish taioseach, in May. | The MP pointed to apologies issued over similar historical forced adoptions by Julia Gillard, the then Australian prime minister, in 2013, and by Leo Varadkar, the Irish taioseach, in May. |
| McGovern called on the government to check official records of the state’s involvement in forced adoptions, to work with organisations that support mothers and adopted children, and help them trace each other, and for Theresa May to make a public apology. | McGovern called on the government to check official records of the state’s involvement in forced adoptions, to work with organisations that support mothers and adopted children, and help them trace each other, and for Theresa May to make a public apology. |
| Stephen Twigg, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, said the issue was one of human rights. Parents and children had been denied the fundamental right to family life, he added. | Stephen Twigg, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, said the issue was one of human rights. Parents and children had been denied the fundamental right to family life, he added. |
| “Young single mothers were ostracised from families and communities simply because they were pregnant,” Twigg said. Many felt they had no choice but give up their babies for adoption. | “Young single mothers were ostracised from families and communities simply because they were pregnant,” Twigg said. Many felt they had no choice but give up their babies for adoption. |
| Emma Lewell-Buck, the shadow children and families minister, said without a public inquiry “the full truth may never be known”. | Emma Lewell-Buck, the shadow children and families minister, said without a public inquiry “the full truth may never be known”. |
| At the heart of the Commons debate, she added, were “harrowing human stories” involving “coercion, force and at times deceit” carried out by institutions of the state. The common thread to all the stories was one of “lies, control, coercion, abuse and cruelty”, Lewell-Buck said. | At the heart of the Commons debate, she added, were “harrowing human stories” involving “coercion, force and at times deceit” carried out by institutions of the state. The common thread to all the stories was one of “lies, control, coercion, abuse and cruelty”, Lewell-Buck said. |
| An apology would help to show “the lifelong impact of unexpressed grief for unacknowledged loss”, she added. | An apology would help to show “the lifelong impact of unexpressed grief for unacknowledged loss”, she added. |
| Responding on behalf of the government, Nadhim Zahawi, the education minister, acknowledged the “unnecessary pain” caused to women. | Responding on behalf of the government, Nadhim Zahawi, the education minister, acknowledged the “unnecessary pain” caused to women. |
| “We are confident that what happened to these mothers and their babies could not be repeated today,” he said, pointing out that children could now only be forcibly removed from a family by a court order. | “We are confident that what happened to these mothers and their babies could not be repeated today,” he said, pointing out that children could now only be forcibly removed from a family by a court order. |
| But the government rejected the demand for a public inquiry last August in the belief that new facts would not be uncovered. “We believe lessons have been learned,” Zahawi said. | But the government rejected the demand for a public inquiry last August in the belief that new facts would not be uncovered. “We believe lessons have been learned,” Zahawi said. |
| In November 2016, the Church of England, the Roman Catholic church and the Salvation Army, which handled most adoptions before the mid-1970s, apologised for their role in the hurt caused to women. | In November 2016, the Church of England, the Roman Catholic church and the Salvation Army, which handled most adoptions before the mid-1970s, apologised for their role in the hurt caused to women. |
| The Commons motion was approved unopposed. | The Commons motion was approved unopposed. |
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