UK's Starmer apologises to mothers and children traumatised by decades of forced adoptions

An estimated 185,000 children are separated from their mothers in Britain under the system in Britain

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a meeting with campaigners to discuss historical forced adoption, at Downing Street, in London, Britain, Jul 2, 2026. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday apologised to women forced to give up their babies and to those separated from their mothers at birth by a system of forced adoptions that targeted unmarried women in the decades after World War Two.

An estimated 185,000 children were separated from their mothers in Britain. Starmer apologised on behalf of the state for the lifelong trauma it had caused.

"On behalf of the whole country, I say it to every single person impacted: we are deeply and profoundly sorry," Starmer told parliament.

Between 1949 and 1976, the British state and Christian churches created a system in which young women with children outside of marriage were shamed and coerced into giving up their babies to comply with the social norms of the time.

The Church of England apologised for its role last month, acknowledging its involvement in running so-called "mother and baby homes" where unmarried women were sent, often ⁠against their will, during pregnancy or after giving birth and separated from their babies.

The state's apology — which follows similar apologies by Ireland and Australia — comes four years after Britain's human rights committee concluded that the government was "ultimately responsible" for the lack of protection for unmarried mothers and their babies.

Before making his apology to parliament, Starmer met a group of affected mothers and children at his Downing Street residence, telling them:

"There never was any shame for you. The shame actually is ours. The shame is on the state and all those that were responsible for this."