Keir Starmer has delivered an official apology to Parliament over an appalling post-war scandal that saw tens of thousands of unmarried mums forced to give up their babies for adoption11:59, 02 Jul 2026Updated 12:08, 02 Jul 2026Keir Starmer has delivered an official apology to Parliament over an appalling post-war scandal that saw tens of thousands of unmarried mums forced to give up their babies for adoption.‌The Prime Minister said the shameful forced adoption practice was "a stain on our history" and acknowledged the role of the state in causing harm and pain. An estimated 185,000 babies were forcibly adopted between 1949 and 1976 in England and Wales.‌In a statement in the Commons, the PM recognised that many women were denied genuine choice, made to feel ashamed or unworthy, and that children had their identity and their history stolen from them. Fathers and wider families were also affected, with harm lasting across lifetimes and in some cases generations.‌He told MPs: "What happened to them and to tens of thousands of mothers, children and families should never have happened. It is a stain on our history."Mothers, many young, vulnerable and without support, were coerced, bullied or misled into feeling that they had no choice but to have their children taken away from them. What a thing to do. And these were not isolated or accidental acts.‌"They were practices embedded within systems, across local authorities, across voluntary and faith based institutions, and in health and social care services, including parts of what is now the NHS. All institutions that operated with power over people's lives. Yet they did so without compassion, without consent and without dignity or proper safeguards."He said many women were made to "feel ashamed". Addressing affected families directly, the PM said: "The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours. And I say that on behalf of the whole country, I say it to every single person impacted."We are deeply and profoundly sorry to the mothers who were told they were unfit, who were prevented from caring for the children they desperately wanted to help and to keep, and who have carried this loss for decades."‌He also apologised to children who "taken from their families, denied their identity, their history, and sometimes their safety and to fathers "who are denied a voice, excluded from decisions, or separated from their children".Mr Starmer set out a £4million package over three years to support those affected. The cash will go towards helping people access adoption records or reconnect with family members, as well as research projects to document the long-term impact on people’s lives.‌Ministers have also promised to work with NHS England to improve access to appropriate health support, including with mental health challenges.The PM praised the "courage and resilience" of affected families in No10 on Thursday morning, ahead of a reception for campaigners in Parliament this afternoon which will be attended by Bridget Phillipson.In his apology, Mr Starmer admitted the Government bears responsibility for the systems it funded and legitimised, which enabled these practices to take place. He acknowledged the state did not do enough to protect mothers, children and families and it failed to prevent harm from continuing.‌Many families have battled a system that has seen records lost, altered, or not made fully accessible to those seeking answers. The Government was found to have funded, enabled and relied on systems that were not consistently or effectively overseen.Former MP Ann Keen, who was separated from her son after eight days with him at a Swansea mother and baby home at the age of 17 in 1966, said she hoped today’s apology would mean she is “released from her shame”. She told BBC Radio 4: “We all need this apology because we have always been accused of giving up our babies and we didn't give them up in particular, so many were taken without our knowledge.“In my own instance, I went to see my baby on the eighth day - because I was told I could have him for ten - and they said: ‘Oh, no, he's gone now, you were getting far too close.’”‌Ms Keen has since been reunited with her son, who found out he was adopted aged 27 and is accompanying her to Westminster today after coming over from South Africa. “I'm just looking forward to today and being released from my shame and also the area that we can improve on for people who need therapy, who need really traumatic therapy will be going ahead,” she said.“I don't know how I get rid of the shame. Even when I was being sworn in as an MP, I couldn't do it because I didn't feel I was worthy. It's been so difficult to overcome, but also it's so joyous because the real reason that we are in this is now my son found me.“My son will be with me today. He's come from South Africa and he didn't know he was adopted, you see. He was 27 when he discovered that. There's so much trauma attached to all of our families in so many different ways that we need to have the opportunity to go talk about this to really trained therapists who are trained in trauma.”‌Last month, Education Secretary Ms Phillipson told MPs on the Education Committee victims can expect an apology over this "shameful" period in history.She said: "I know that you and the committee will want to hear that this government will very soon be making a full apology on behalf of the state to all of those affected by historic forced adoption in England. The prime minister will have more to say on this shameful period in our history, reflecting the gravity of what has happened."In a report published in March, the Commons' education committee called on the Government to apologise over the scandal. They wrote: "While there was no single author or perpetrator of forced adoptions, the Committee concludes that government decisions shaped the environment in which unmarried mothers were often shamed and coerced into having their children put up for adoption."Article continues belowTo ensure lessons are learned and continue to make improvements, the government has said it will aim to gather data on how the £4m support package is working over time, keeping the need for further research under review.The Government's apology relates to England. Scotland and Wales have each issued their own formal apologies, while in Northern Ireland work is underway to establish a statutory public inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses, led by the Northern Ireland Executive.If you have been affected by historical forced adoption practices, FamilyConnect offers confidential support, including counselling, record tracing and help with reunification where appropriate, and can be reached on 0300 1800 205 or https://www.familyconnect.org.uk