Archbishop Apologizes for Church of England’s Role in Forced Adoption of 185,000 Children

Advocacy group for post-war adoptees said apology does not go far enough.

Sarah Mullally speaks to the public after the Enthronement Ceremony installing her as Archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury, England, on March 25, 2026. Alastair Grant/AP Photo

The Church of England has apologized for its part in the historical forced adoption of tens of thousands of children in the years following World War II.

Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally said in a June 18 statement on behalf of the church that it was “profoundly sorry for the pain, trauma and stigma experienced—and still carried—by many people because of historical adoption practices in homes affiliated to the Church of England.”