Agenda item

At the full Council meeting on 22 May 2024, the following motion was agreed:

Motion 939 – Apology for the forced adoption of children of unmarried women

Council notes that the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights ‘Violation of Family Life: Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women’, published in July 2022, sets out the experiences of unmarried mothers in the period 1949 – 1976, when an estimated 185,000 children were taken from unmarried mothers and adopted due to pressure from their families and communities even though their mothers did not want to let them go. Women and girls who became pregnant outside of marriage during these decades were seen as having shamed themselves and their families.

Health and care professionals, voluntary agencies, societal and family pressures, and the absence of support contributed to those of children being taken from loving mothers and placed for adoption. Many of those affected, both mothers and children, have faced life-long suffering.

While adoption legislation and practices have been strengthened since that time, with adoption now considered only when other options have been fully explored, we acknowledge that forced adoptions in this period will have included mothers and children from Gloucestershire and Adoption West has provided support for anyone who has come forward.

Council therefore resolves:

· To call on the Children and Families Scrutiny Committee to consider how the Council can better signpost victims to the information and services available via Adoption West for those affected locally to deal with the impact of the historic forced adoptions.

· To call on Government to review if there are any other barriers that can be removed to help victims, such as providing specialised counselling services, reforms to the sharing of medical information and the removal of administrative barriers.

The Committee to consider a report on the information and services available to those affected locally via Adoption West, and how the Council can better signpost victims to this support.

5.1          Ann James, Executive Director of Children’s Services, presented the report, produced in response to Motion 939 – Apology for the forced adoption of children of unmarried women, which had been agreed by full Council at its meeting on 22 May 2024.

5.2          The motion asked the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider how the Council could better signpost victims to the information and services available via Adoption West for those affected locally to deal with the impact of historic forced adoptions.

5.3          It was explained that adoption support, including for those who had experienced forced adoption, was provided though Adoption West, the regional adoption agency of which Gloucestershire was one of five local authority members.

5.4          Ann James recognised the lifelong impact forced adoption had on those affected and therefore the importance of support being easily accessible.

5.5          It was noted that, in response to the findings of the inquiry to understand the experience of unmarried women whose children were adopted between 1949 and 1976 in England and Wales, which was published by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in July 2022, the Government had introduced legislative amendments to ensure adoption support and counselling services were more easily available to those who required it.

5.6          It was noted that GCC met the requirements of the regulatory framework via the Adoption West Birth Links service. This service provided access to adoption records, signposted to intermediary services, and could provide up to 6 sessions of emotional support to those who required it. 

5.7          It was recognised that whilst these services were largely accessed by those involved in adoption processes today, they had been accessed by those who had experienced forced adoption in the past.

5.8          The limited resources of the Adoption West Birth Links team were acknowledged; however, members were reassured that the team worked to a three-month allocation standard.

5.9          Members noted that officers had considered the Adoption West website, which they had found to be easy to use and informative. However, officers felt that GCC’s website could be clearer in terms of signposting to the Birth Links service.

5.10      Members were advised that work was underway with the Communications Team to develop a specific Council webpage to make accessing this information much easier. Additionally, all ‘front door’ staff at the Council would have the knowledge to signpost to Adoption West’s services.

5.11      Tammy Wheatley, Head of Service for Corporate Parenting and Children in Care, added that the Council worked alongside Adoption West to ensure that responses were timely and to consider providing extra support to those who required it.

5.12      A member queried whether a press release was issued following resolution of the motion at full Council in May 2024. They added that there could be an opportunity following this meeting to highlight the services available. They also asked whether the numbers of people affected by forced adoption between 1949 and 1976 was known.

5.13      It was confirmed that a press release had not been issued after the Council meeting in May due to Purdah restrictions. Ann James agreed to liaise with the Communications Team on promoting the services available once the Council’s webpages had been updated.

ACTION – Ann James

5.14      It was also explained that there was no record of the numbers of people affected. Services were reliant on people coming forward to request support. The member suggested that the press release should highlight this.

ACTION - Ann James

5.15      A member asked whether it was possible for relatives other than the birth mother to access records relating to the adoption of a child.

5.16      It was explained that relatives could access these records if they had permission from the birth parents, where they were still alive. If the birth parent had passed, relatives would need to evidence their relationship to them, as well as providing evidence of the birth parent’s death certificate.

5.17      In response to a query, it was understood that in most historic adoption cases, there was only limited information recorded regarding birth fathers.

5.18      In response to further queries, it was noted that information should still be available to the County Council even if adoptions were made through private agencies, and that the numbers of children who were sent overseas following adoption was not known.

5.19      It was requested that the Committee have sight of the mock up for the updated Council webpages, for members to be able to provide feedback for further improvement.

ACTION – Ann James/ Tammy Wheatley

5.20      A leaflet which provided details about Birth Links would be circulated with members.

ACTION – Tammy Wheatley

5.21      It was also proposed that the press release promoting the services available be included in Members Matters.

ACTION – Ann James/ Laura Powick