The UK government’s formal apology in July 2026 has brought renewed attention to the painful history of forced adoption in England and the lasting impact it has had on mothers, adoptees, and families. Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 185,000 mothers were pressured into giving up their babies, often without any genuine choice.
As an adoption agency, we believe that understanding adoption history is essential to providing ethical adoption services today.
Adoption is not simply about creating a family. It is about navigating deeply personal decisions that can carry lifelong meaning for a child, a birth parent, an adoptive family, and generations to come.
That is why ethical adoption must be grounded in:
- Informed choice—ensuring expectant parents have accurate information and the time and space to make their own decisions for their child.
- Respect for autonomy—supporting a person’s right to make decisions about their pregnancy and parenting without pressure or coercion.
- Honest counseling—acknowledging that adoption can involve joy, grief, uncertainty, hope, and loss, sometimes all at once.
- The child’s lifelong story—recognizing that an adoptee’s identity and connection to their birth family remain important long after placement.
- Listening to lived experience—making space for the voices of birth parents and adoptees to continually inform and improve adoption practice.
History teaches us that good intentions alone are not enough.
Ethical adoption requires us to listen, learn, question our practices, and remain committed to putting the dignity and well-being of children and families at the center of our work.
At Adoption Connection, we honor and are grateful to those whose experiences have helped the adoption community better understand what must never be repeated—and what we must continue striving to do better.
Adoption Connection is a licensed adoption agency and a nationally recognized leader in open adoption. To connect with our team or begin your adoption journey, contact us today.
