SAAM's
Journey for
Adoptee Rights
Truth, Identity and Justice
2022–2024: The Adoptee Rights UK Campaign
How We Got Here
In 2022, adoptees from across the UK came together in a way that hadn’t happened before.
After two adoptees gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament about historical adoption practices, more adoptees began sharing their stories. Many tried to engage with the Scottish Government’s formal review into forced and illegal adoptions — but quickly felt reduced to being just “evidence,” rather than recognised as rights-holding adults with lived experience.
At Westminster, the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) launched its own inquiry into adoption practices and human rights violations. Some adoptees bravely gave oral evidence to this inquiry. But for many, the process left deep frustration — a feeling that we were being studied, not heard.
It was this frustration that brought adoptees together.
Across living rooms, online calls, and quiet cafés, people met. It was raw. It was emotional. But it was the start of something. A fire lit in those who had been unheard for too long.
Scotland’s Apology — But Not For Us
While the Scottish Government conducted its review, SAAM repeatedly tried to engage. But when the apology for forced adoption practices was announced for March 2023, we were excluded — despite being adoptees, despite taking part in consultations, and despite representing a growing movement.
The night before the apology, at 4:50pm, SAAM received a letter from Minister Clare Haughey.
Summary of Clare Haughey’s Letter:
-
It thanked adoptees for their input but made no commitment to include adult adoptees in the apology.
-
It framed earlier engagement as “sufficient.”
-
It shifted focus to service provision and funding for existing adoption charities — not adoptee-led groups.
-
It offered a future meeting — but only after exclusion had already occurred.
The message was clear: the apology was not for us.
The Day of the Apology:
Protest, Presence, and Pain
We were ready. Recommendations written. Banners packed.
On the morning of March 22nd, 2023, adoptees gathered in Edinburgh.
-
At 9:00am, SAAM submitted our Adoptee Rights UK Recommendations to the Scottish Government.
-
At 10:00am, we stood outside Parliament with our banners. not in anger, but in truth.
-
At 2:30pm, we took our seats, in the public viewing area.
We listened as Nicola Sturgeon apologised for the forced adoptions of the past.
We welcomed her words — but they were not meant for us.
As adoptees, our exclusion hurt. But we weren’t defeated.
To View The Full Scottish Apology
🏴 Scotland – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, 22 March 2023
Scotland – 22 March 2023
Nicola Sturgeon delivered a “sincere, heartfelt and unreserved apology” in the Scottish Parliament, acknowledging “forced adoption practices…unjust and profoundly wrong.” She noted tens of thousands of young women had been coerced into giving up children and pledged specialist support services gov.wales+9gov.scot+9news.sky.com+9. However, SAAM and other adult adoptee groups were excluded from the apology despite months of consultation—receiving only a late administrative letter the evening before .
news.sky.com+14gov.scot+14adultadoptee.uk+14itv.com+10news.sky.com+10vanish.org.au+10
A Quiet Moment: Starbucks, Stories, Solidarity
After the apology, we found warmth in an ordinary Edinburgh café.
Around a small table in Starbucks, adoptees sat for hours. Sharing stories. Sharing grief. Finding strength in each other.
It wasn’t just coffee. It was the quiet beginning of a movement determined to be seen, heard, and known.
Wales – 25 April 2023
Deputy Minister Julie Morgan apologised in the Senedd “on behalf of the Welsh Government” for societal failures that led to forced adoptions. Her statement acknowledged “diverse and long-lasting” harm and offered “deepest sympathy and regret” adoptionnz.com+13gov.wales+13news.sky.com+13. Notably, Wales invited affected individuals to the apology—though adult adoptees report broader recognition is still needed.
To View The Full Welsh Apology
https://www.youtube.com/live/IdVPE8gFoZA?si=Qnj8vgawMoUsep3D
UK Government – March/April 2023
Following the JCHR report, the UK Government expressed regret “on behalf of society,” acknowledging the harm caused by adoption practices of 1949–1976. It avoided a formal state apology, instead attributing blame to societal attitudes and promising reforms like improved support and access to records news.sky.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5news.sky.com+5.
Church-Led Apologies and Acknowledgements
Several religious institutions have recognised historic wrongdoing related to forced adoption, mother and baby homes, and associated practices. Others, notably in Scotland, remain silent on their involvement.
Religious BodyAction TakenNotes & Links
Catholic Church (Ireland/NI/Scotland)Multiple formal apologies for involvement in mother and baby homes and forced adoptions.Includes public statements following the 2021 Mother and Baby Homes Report in Ireland. View Statement
Church of EnglandReports acknowledging adoption trauma and expressing regret.2016 General Synod report addressed the Church’s historic role, but offered limited formal apology. Synod Report
Salvation Army (UK & Ireland)Public statements acknowledging involvement in mother and baby homes; some internal reviews.Varied public responses depending on region; some reports of apology, others under continued scrutiny.
Church of ScotlandNo known formal apology for involvement in forced adoption.Issued a formal apology in 2024 to the Gypsy/Traveller community for historic discrimination.
Why This Matters
Religious bodies played a significant role in historical adoption practices. Where formal apologies exist, they offer some recognition of the trauma caused. Where silence remains, so does the gap in truth and accountability.
International Apologies & Related Milestones
The global movement toward acknowledging historic adoption harms is growing — yet in the UK, adoptees remain overlooked in key apologies, inquiries, and reforms. The timeline and additional layers below reveal how adoptees are repeatedly excluded from recognition, accountability, and justice.
Additional Layers: Inquiries, Legislation & Missed Recognition
These key events add weight to SAAM’s argument — adoptees have been consistently unseen, excluded, or sidelined even as other groups and historical harms have been acknowledged.
🔍 Formal Public Inquiries
-
Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (2015–ongoing)
Extensive investigation into institutional abuse — adoptees excluded from scope. -
IICSA – England & Wales Inquiry (2014–2022)
National inquiry into child abuse — limited recognition of adoption-related harms. -
Northern Ireland Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (2014–2016)
Apology and findings on institutional abuse — adoption aspects largely unaddressed.
💡 Legislative & Rights Milestones
-
Independent Care Review (Scotland) — 2017–2020
Landmark review led to The Promise, highlighting care-experienced rights — adoptees not fully included. -
The Promise Scotland — ongoing (from 2020)
National commitment to improve outcomes for care-experienced young people — adult adoptees overlooked. -
UNCRC Incorporation (Scotland) — Passed 2021, amended 2024
Scotland’s attempt to embed children's rights — adult adoptee status remains unaddressed. -
Children (Scotland) Act 2024 — including Sibling Rights
Strengthens sibling contact for care-experienced children — adoptees remain legally excluded.
🧭 A Change in Leadership, A Step Forward for Scotland
Following the resignation of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, then-Minister for Children and Young People Clare Haughey also stepped down from her role. At that time, many adoptees were still waiting to be heard — excluded from the national apology and uncertain if our concerns would be carried forward.
In 2023, Natalie Don MSP was appointed as the new Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise. To her credit, she honoured the meeting originally offered by Clare Haughey and listened to members of the Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement (SAAM) directly.
While this meeting did not resolve every issue, it was the first time a government minister had sat down with adult adoptees to hear about lifelong identity loss, record access barriers, and the need for legal reform. That moment matters — and we acknowledge it here.
We continue to seek lasting, meaningful action. But that first meeting was a step forward.
Following the apology, we also wrote to First Minister Humza Yousaf MSP, asking for recognition of the exclusion of adult adoptees and for his leadership in ensuring that adoptee voices are included in future truth, care, and identity justice work.
During Humza Yousaf’s short time as First Minister, SAAM ambassadors were invited to Bute House as part of Who Cares? Scotland’s Empowered Voices programme and Lifelong Rights campaign.
We were welcomed not only to share festive moments around the Christmas tree, but also to sit at the Scottish Government’s boardroom table and speak directly with the First Minister about Adoptee Rights and the goals of the SAAM campaign.
It was a rare and meaningful opportunity — not just to be present, but to be heard. Moments like this remind us that change begins with visibility, and continues with conversation.
To Learn More About
Who Cares? Scotland's Work To Support Care Experienced People,
As Well As Their Empowered Voiced Program
https://www.whocaresscotland.org/
The SAAM team also took part as stakeholders in the Scottish Government’s scoping study on historical forced adoption, delivered in collaboration with The Lines Between and Paul Brian Tovey. Our insights, as adult adoptees, helped shape the study’s understanding of the long-term impact of adoption and the urgent need for recognition, justice, and reform.
As part of Adoption Week Scotland, we also brought together lived experience and professionals to co-lead a powerful session tracing adoption’s story — from its historical roots to the present day — told by those who have lived it.
In 2024, SAAM ambassadors took part in the Adoption UK Adult Adoptee Advisory Group annual meeting, travelling from Edinburgh to London to connect with adoptees from across the UK. It was a powerful and uplifting experience — sharing space, building relationships, and meeting new voices in the movement.
Alongside the meeting, we had the chance to explore the city, reflect together, and take in the journey — not just by train, but as a growing community. We’re thankful for the connections made and the continued opportunity to represent adoptee voices on a national level.
London Baby...
SAAM
Working To Keep Scotland's Promise
✨ “Stories of Change” Conference — February 6, 2024, Edinburgh
In February 2024, SAAM ambassadors had the privilege of attending The Promise Scotland’s "Stories of Change" Conference in Edinburgh. Organized as part of Scotland’s commitment to #KeepThePromise, the event brought together care-experienced individuals, professionals, and policymakers, including Natalie Don MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise thepromise.scot+14thepromise.scot+14scottishadoption.org+14.
Our ambassadors represented the adoptee voice in breakout sessions that explored progress and next steps in care justice. They also took part in a public Q&A, speaking truth to power about adult adoptee rights, identity recovery, and the need for legal reform. It was a powerful demonstration that adoptees belong at every table where care-experienced voices are shaping change.
🤝 Ongoing Partnership with Who Cares? Scotland
SAAM continues to work closely with Who Cares? Scotland, the country’s oldest independent charity for people with care experience. As part of their Empowered Voices Programme, several of our ambassadors have had the opportunity to share their stories, shape national discussions, and ensure adoptees are recognised as part of the broader care-experienced community.
This partnership has opened doors — to conversations, visibility, and solidarity. Below are some highlights from our time with Who Cares? Scotland, capturing moments of connection, courage, and community.
Ohana...
Learning, Leading, and Lifting Voices — With Who Cares? Scotland
Our work with Who Cares? Scotland, Scotland’s oldest independent care-experienced charity, has been one of the most empowering parts of our journey. From Parliament to press rooms, and residentials to roundtables, SAAM ambassadors have taken part in a wide range of experiences designed to uplift and amplify the voices of adopted people.
We’ve attended consultations, contributed to evidence sessions in Parliament, and participated in training sessions that helped us grow in confidence and purpose. At residentials in Stirling, we explored the power of storytelling, team-building, media engagement, and how to speak with — and alongside — survivors.
In Glasgow, we spent time learning about rights, care history, and our place within it. We reflected on the systems that shaped us, and the forward-thinkers who fought for justice before us. We also had the opportunity to contribute to Care History Month, working with historians and peers to make sure adoption is not forgotten in Scotland’s wider care story.
We were honoured to be invited to Bute House by First Minister Humza Yousaf, joining other Empowered Voices ambassadors at his 2023 Christmas reception — not just to celebrate, but to be seen.
And during Adoption Week Scotland 2023, Who Cares? Scotland visited our group to talk about their Lifelong Rights Campaign, helping us explore how adoptees of all ages can be recognised, protected, and supported — across law, policy, and public life.
Together, we’ve built bridges between generations, between care experiences, and between silence and visibility. And this is only the beginning.
🎭 Voices at the Fringe
In 2024, SAAM ambassadors attended events at the Edinburgh Fringe, where adoptees, care-experienced individuals, and survivors came together to speak openly about trauma, truth, and transformation.
We heard powerful testimonies that spoke to the lifelong impact of separation, identity loss, and resilience — but also to the future we’re building together. It was a reminder that the arts can be a platform for healing, and that every time we tell our story, we make space for someone else to speak.
it was not long before SAAM Ambassadors began thinking and we look forward to seeing the future
🗓️ Wrapping Up 2024: Growth, Reflection, and Regrouping
Throughout 2024, SAAM ambassadors deepened our commitment to education, advocacy, and collaboration. We took part in training and awareness work both online and in person, including conference-style events and local engagement with councils and CHAMPs boards, where we shared adoptee experience and delivered talks to professionals to support better understanding.
We continued to contribute to The Promise Scotland’s 24/30 Roadmap, supporting the national vision for care justice and pushing for the inclusion of adopted adults within the broader care-experienced community.
In March, we marked the first anniversary of the Scottish and Welsh apologies with a quiet but powerful social media post featuring a poem that honoured our history and called for continued visibility and action.
We also held our Glasgow social meetup at the Willow Tea Rooms, where we gathered in solidarity, shared space with fellow adoptees, and proudly debuted our SAAM "Adoptee Rights UK – Keeping the Promise" hoodies — a symbol of unity and visibility in a movement led by lived experience.
Importantly, 2024 also saw the start of government-led consultations into historical adoption practices in Scotland. SAAM ambassadors took part in one of the early oral evidence sessions in Glasgow, meeting with officials and clinical psychologist Lynne Taylor. While we were ready to continue shaping this critical process, we were soon informed that the consultations would be paused — in part due to the change of government in England and wider uncertainty around UK-wide policy.
This left adoptees once again in a holding pattern.
As we move into 2025, SAAM is regrouping, re-strategising, and reaffirming our goals. The pause may have slowed the process, but it has not silenced the movement.
Adoptee Rights UK
_edited.jpg)
🗣️ Support the Rights of Adoptees – Take Action Now
The Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement (SAAM) is fighting for truth, justice, and lifelong dignity for all adopted people — but we can't do it alone. If you believe every person deserves the right to know who they are, access their full legal history, and be free from lifelong legal fictions, we need your voice.
Here’s how you can support the campaign:
🔁 Share our message
🌐 Spread the word
📝 Write to your elected representatives
📣 Raise awareness
🧾 Support our demand
This is not just about the past. It’s about the legal status,
and human rights of living adults today.
📬 Contact us: scottishaam@gmail.com
📢 Use the hashtags: #AdopteeRightsUK #AdoptionReform #RightToKnow
Support SAAM's Work
We’re raising funds to support the next stage of our work — from tech and tools to campaign materials and our first national adoptee-led event in November.
Your donation will help us stay visible, connected, and powerful as we fight for adoptee identity, truth, and justice.
🖤 Please support our GoFundMe here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/power-to-adoptees-support-saams-work-for-identity-and-just
Thank you for standing with adult adoptees.
Helping Make Sense
Of The Journey
Adoptee have brought together some the best resourses, tools and support to create the SAAM Tool Kit
