Cardinal Vincent Nichols, above, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has
apologised for its part in the ‘hurt’ caused to young unmarried women
who were pressured into handing over their babies for adoption in the
1950s, 60s and 70s.
Nichols acknowledged the “the grief and pain caused by the giving up of a child through adoption”, adding: Sadly for unmarried mothers, adoption was considered
to be in the best interests of the mother and child because of the
associated stigma and the lack of support for lone parents.