Methodist Church in Britain apologises for those hurt or abused in Mother and Baby homes

The Methodist Church in Britain is issuing a formal apology to anyone who has been hurt or abused in any of the Mother and Baby homes that it was responsible for in the past.

It says that the mission of the Methodist Church in the 20th century was to work with single mothers who did not have others to support them and the aim was to offer compassion and care, but that it is saddened and ashamed at the treatment of some women:

“We deeply regret the pain and trauma caused by our actions and the systemic failures that allowed such injustice to occur. We recognise the profound impact these experiences have had on survivors and their families and we are committed to supporting the healing process and ensuring that such injustices are never repeated.

“To those who were affected, we offer our sincerest apologies.”

The Church has been made aware of several women who were sent to Mother and Baby homes in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Church, which no longer runs any homes, commends the bravery of those who have come forward to share their experiences and appeals for anyone who may have been affected to come forward to share their story or for support.

You can read the full text of the apology here.

If you have been affected in any way through experiences related to any Home, and would like to speak with someone, please make contact with the Safeguarding team in the Methodist Church, who work with victims and survivors of abuse. If you wish to remain anonymous this will be respected.

• Phone: +44 (0) 20 7467 5189
• Email: Safeguarding@methodistchurch.org.uk