Thanet residents Karen Constantine, author of Taken: Experiences of Forced Adoption, and actor Jane Sibson will join a groundbreaking demonstration at Parliament Square, calling on the UK government to issue an official apology for the injustices of historic forced adoption practices.
The demonstration on July 16 is being organised by adoptee advocate, author of Somebody’s Daughter (now a film streaming on amazon) and musician Zara Phillips, and is supported by the Movement for an Adoption Apology and members of the Adult Adoptee Movement.
It marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight for recognition and accountability from the government of women and their babies who were taken for forced adoption between 1949 and 1976.
The estimate is that 185,000 babies of unmarried mothers were adopted in England and Wales during the period from 1949 to 1976, but in reality, it’s thought the figure is likely to be closer to 500,000 and, in fact, the last of the homes did not shut until the mid-80s.
Karen, a former county councillor, is part of the committee of the Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) which for the last decade has been campaigning for a formal apology from the government.
“It’s urgent and important for us to be able to demonstrate and let the government know how angry we are. We feel ignored and let down,” said Jane Sibson. “How long do we have to wait?”
Inquiry recommendation
In July 2022, the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) headed by Harriet Harman MP published a report which was the culmination of a 10 month inquiry into forced adoption practices.
Measures recommended included the need for an official apology and meaningful reparations including having medical records, collated from several sources, and transferred from analogue to digital format, so that they are accessible, searchable, and form a permanent history.
A national Memorial Day, or something similar, was also recommended.
In response UK government said it was “sorry on behalf of society for what happened”, but it was not “appropriate for a formal government apology to be given, since the state did not actively support these practices”.
An apology has been issued by Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh authorities, as well as those in Canada and Australia, and the Catholic Church– the UK government is still yet to do so.
Karen expressed the frustration felt by many: “It’s frankly unconscionable that the government is not addressing this issue with the urgency it deserves. First mothers, also known as birth mothers, are aging and dying. Many are too frail to campaign but we know they support us.
“We have written repeatedly to Minister Janet Daby, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, and suggested that a simple apology would suffice, allowing these women to spend their remaining years without the burden of shame.
“Even that seems too much for them. We are continuing to explore all avenues to force the government to take action. We hope the demonstration will show the public are on our side.”
Demonstration details
The demonstration will take place on July 16th from 1pm to 2:30pm in Parliament Square, and all are welcome to participate. Members of the public are asked to sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/demand-an-apology-for-historic-forced-adoptions.
The event will also feature a ‘Roll Call’ of people impacted by these circumstances. Thanet residents are asked to contact Karen directly if they wish their name, or the name of a deceased relative or friend, to be included.
Alongside the demonstration, a small group will petition for the apology at the office of Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street.
For further information, please contact: [email protected]
What is the point of this ?
None of those in Government today were in Government 50 to 75 years ago.
None of those employed in health services or social services 50 to 75 years ago are holding those positions today.
The fact of the matter is that those ”responsible” are mostly dead and buried.
This seems to be another vain attempt at re-writing history. Or is it a pre-cursor to a compo claim ?
There are so many reason why an apology is required. It’s not less important to the 100,000s impacted and their families than an apology to nuclear war veterans. Or the postmasters. Or any of the historic social injustices.
Consider what’s happening in Tuam the long-awaited excavation of the Tuam babies site, which will begin on Monday, 11 years after Gill Corless’s original research revealed that 796 children died at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home between 1924 and 1961. We’re now looking at other places in the U.K. where disgraceful treatment also occurred.
In parliament just yesterday a debate was held regarding the potential fiscal challenges arising from the implementation of the Irish Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. Irish women living in England can obtain redress. English women cannot.
Governments around the world have already apologised. But not ours. The governments own parliamentary inquiry in 2022 concluded an apology should be given — and yet the government (Conservative and Labour) have failed to do so. Many —if not most live with trauma. Yes. Compo. Put a price on losing a child?
Why should the government apologise, it happened donkeys years ago , Constantine just trying to poke her oar in as usual, nothing better to do
So did Windrush, Bloody Sunday, child migrants sent oversea to live and, obviously, slavery but they have all had government apologies
Dear Fred, please read the article. You will see that the government’s own public enquiry concluded an apology should be given.
The figures for this appalling treatment maybe as high as half a million. Of course an apology should be given for suffering the loss of a child, or the loss of a mother, or for a life interrupted and thrown off course in such a drastic way. It was known at the time the outcomes for the mothers were very poor. The state oversaw this barbaric treatment. The women themselves were incalculated into believing themselves to be ‘shameful’.
Without an apology, they carry this shame of their graves — why should they? The home I went into was called Saint Paul’s in Coleshill in 1978 hence my involvement.
Last but not least justice delayed is justice denied.
We get it Fred, because you weren’t personally affected it shouldn’t happen. Maybe if you had a functioning sense of empathy you wouldn’t be so quick to show how bigoted you are.