The Church of England is preparing to issue a formal apology for its involvement in forced adoptions which affected tens of thousands of unmarried mothers between 1949 and 1976. During this period, many women were sent to church-run mother and baby homes, where social stigma and institutional practices led to babies being taken for adoption, often without genuine consent. Testimonies from women such as Jan Doyle highlight the harsh conditions and lasting trauma experienced. Sent to a home as a pregnant teenager, she recalls physical hardship and emotional pain, with her son taken shortly after birth. They were only reunited decades later. A draft apology acknowledges the Church’s role in a system now recognised as harmful, expressing deep sorrow for the lifelong impact on mothers and children. Researchers and campaigners believe such an apology could help reshape understanding of this painful history and bring some measure of healing. Pressure is also increasing on the Government to issue its own formal apology.