To the leader of the UK - the Prime Minister

Dear Prime Minister,

From the 1950s, right up to the late 1980s, at least 215,000 young, unmarried mothers (probably many more) were forced to surrender their babies for adoption. Many of the mothers were teenagers and were denied financial and other support, despite it being available through the Welfare State.  The vast majority of these women and girls, and the children who were taken, now Adult Adoptees, still suffer from the trauma of this abhorrent practice. There has never been any support. 

Many people have not been able to reunite with their relatives, despite wishing to do so. Many of those affected continue to be negatively impacted. 

In 2023, the governments of Scotland, Ireland and Wales formally apologised for historic adoption practices. Although the U.K. Government ought to have fulfilled its duty towards the hundreds of thousands of mothers and adult adoptees who suffered these injustices, their lifelong trauma has yet to be acknowledged by Westminster.

Time is running out for justice to be done.

The mothers are growing older, many have already died. If those affected are to receive an apology in their lifetime, it needs to be given as a matter of urgency. Adoptees are also growing older. Time is running out.

We call upon you to immediately issue a Formal Public Apology for past unethical and inhumane adoption practices as required by the JCHR, Joint Committee on Human Rights in 2022.