People affected by historical forced adoption practices received an apology from the Welsh government on Tuesday.
The government invited some of those subject to the practice to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay for a formal apology for the “societal failures” which led to the practice.
It comes after Scotland’s former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, gave an apology on behalf of the government in Holyrood last month.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights published recommendations last year after an inquiry into the historic practice.
Around 185,000 children were taken from unmarried mothers and adopted between 1949 and 1976 in England and Wales.
The practice predates devolution in Wales. The Senedd – then known as the Welsh assembly – did not sit until 1999, but the Welsh government say forced adoption practices have had a “lasting legacy” on all who experienced them.
One of the people affected by the practice who attended the Senedd was Ann Keen who was MP for Brentford and Isleworth between 1997 and 2010 and health minister under Gordon Brown.
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She said she was always told her son’s adoption was “for the best”.
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“Sadly this was not the case,” Ms Keen said. “It was horrible, shameful, and left me grieving and feeling unable to talk to anyone. I was forced to live a life that remained a secret.”
She said she became a nurse before entering politics to provide “the sort of dignity and social justice to patients that was denied to me when I was at my most vulnerable”.
Ms Keen added that she now felt “empowered” and that her name had been “cleared”.
“I did not ‘give him up'”, she added. “He was taken from me.”
Never acceptable’
Julie Morgan, the Welsh government’s deputy minister for social services, added that the impacts of forced adoption and forced family separation were “diverse and long-lasting”.
“Many still find it extremely difficult to open-up and talk about the life-long heartbreak they have bottled up for fear of still being judged,” the minister added.
Ms Morgan added that “such cruelty should never be an acceptable part of our society in Wales”.
“I would like to convey my deepest sympathy and regret to all affected, that due to society failing you, you had to endure such appalling historical practices in Wales – for this the whole of the Welsh Government is truly sorry.”
The UK government has also voiced its regret at the historical practice.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said the government agreed that the treatment of unmarried parents during this period “was wrong and should not have happened”.
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“We are sorry to all those affected by historic adoption practices,” they added.
“We are sorry on behalf of society for what happened. Whilst we cannot undo the past, lessons of the time have been learned and have led to significant changes to legislation and practice.”
