CVAA response to Government apology for historic forced adoption practices

The full apology is available to read here and the government’s announcement is here.

The apology acknowledges that what happened to tens of thousands of mothers, children and families – particularly between 1949 and 1976 – should never have happened. It recognises that many women were coerced, bullied or misled into having their children taken away from them, and this practice was embedded in institutions which operated without consent, compassion, dignity or proper safeguards.

The apology follows the publication of reports from the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Education Select Committee, as well as the recent apology issued by the Church of England. Alongside the apology, the government has committed to working with those affected to improve access to records and provide care and support. This includes investment of £4 million over three years to improve access to records, expand services which support family reconnection, improve access to NHS health support, develop peer support, and establish a testimonials project capturing the stories of those affected.

Satwinder Sandhu, Chief Executive of CVAA UK, commented as follows:

This apology marks a significant milestone. Thousands of women who had their children taken from them for adoption have lived with deep pain, loss and trauma for decades, often in silence. The immense suffering experienced by these women, those who were adopted and their family members, including fathers, has been unrecognised for far too long, and we welcome the Government’s acknowledgement of the state’s responsibility today for these injustices and systemic failures which have caused lifelong harm.

CVAA and our members commend the courage of campaigners and survivors whose persistence has helped bring us to this moment, while echoing the sentiment that this apology must serve as a starting point rather than end point. The process of redress which begins now must be comprehensive and firmly shaped by those who were affected by historic adoption practices. Many mothers continue to live with unresolved grief, loss and stigma decades later, and sadly many have already passed away.

At the same time, many adoptees still face challenges in accessing information about their origins, identity and family history. These are not simply matters of the past; they continue to affect lives today as adoption impacts across generations. It is imperative therefore that the government’s package of support matches up with the level and breadth of need, with particular attention to counselling and trauma-informed support services alongside identity-related support for adoptees.

At CVAA we take seriously our responsibility to reflect deeply on this apology and carefully consider, alongside our VAA members, particularly those who may have operated adoption services during 1949 and 1976, how we ensure that we get adoption right for children and families now and in the future. As the majority of children being adopted in 2026 are through the care system, an extremely important aspect of this is the way that the birth families of adopted children are listened to, worked with supported and empowered, as well as how children are supported to understand their personal histories and stay connected with their birth families.

Research and lived experience give us much greater insight into adoption in 2026, so these issues are live conversations across the entire adoption sector and judiciary. However, there is still work to do to ensure that adoption today handles experiences of separation, loss, identity and heritage with the highest standards of care and compassion for every person who is impacted. CVAA will be continuing to support our members to invest time and energy in this work in partnership with colleagues from the statutory sector.

VAAs across the whole of the UK are also wholly committed to supporting all those affected by historic adoption practices and we encourage anyone seeking information, advice or support to contact their adoption agency to better understand the help that may be available to them.

FamilyConnect, delivered by our associate member PAC-UK, offers confidential support, including counselling, record tracing, and help with reunification.

Contact: 0300 1800 205 or https://www.familyconnect.org.uk

CoramBAAF, part of CVAA member Coram Group, manages the Adoption, Search and Reunion website which helps adopted people find out where their records might be held. Later in the year, in partnership with the Archive and Records Association, it will launch a new platform with extended information to give further support to those who are care-experienced or adopted to access their records.

2^nd July 2026