The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has issued a formal apology on behalf of the British state for the historic forced adoption practices that affected an estimated 185,000 mothers and children in England and Wales over the course of many years.

For decades, women who became pregnant outside marriage were subjected to immense societal pressure, coercion and, in many cases, the removal of their babies for adoption against their wishes. The consequences of these practices have been profound and lifelong, affecting not only the mothers who lost their children but also the children who grew up separated from their families and identities. In some cases adequate safeguarding was not carried out and infants were placed with carers who later went on to abuse them.

The Government has rightly acknowledged that the state failed to protect mothers, children and families, and that it played a role in funding and legitimising the system that allowed these injustices to occur. It has also announced £4 million in funding to assist those seeking access to adoption records, support family reunification and preserve testimonies from those affected.

These measures are welcome. Recognition of the suffering endured by so many individuals is long overdue.

However, there remains a glaring omission.

Unlike other jurisdictions, the UK Government has not announced any form of financial redress for those whose lives were irreparably damaged by these practices. In Northern Ireland, work is under way to establish both a statutory public inquiry and a financial redress scheme relating to mother and baby institutions. Ireland has already established compensation schemes for survivors of institutional abuses, including those affected by mother and baby homes. Australia has also implemented redress arrangements and compensation schemes in response to historic forced adoption practices.

The absence of any comparable scheme in England and Wales is deeply concerning.

An apology, however sincere, cannot by itself repair the lifelong trauma suffered by those affected. Many mothers have lived with decades of grief, loss, shame and unresolved trauma. Many adopted people have spent years trying to understand their identity, reconnect with their families and come to terms with the circumstances of their adoption. Relationships have been fractured, mental health has been affected, and opportunities for family life have been permanently lost.

In our view, any apology that is not accompanied by proper compensation for the lifelong harm caused to both mothers and children risks being little more than words. Acknowledgment of wrongdoing is important, but meaningful accountability requires more than an expression of regret. It requires tangible recognition of the damage that has been done and practical measures to address it.

The Government has accepted that the state bears responsibility for these historic injustices. The next step must be to consider a fair and comprehensive compensation scheme for those whose lives were changed forever by forced adoption.

For many survivors and their families, justice remains incomplete.