BBC TWO UNCOVER BRITAIN'S FORCED ADOPTION SCANDAL FOR NEW DOCUMENTARY

Taken: Britain’s Forced Adoption Scandal (w/t) is a new documentary by Finestripe Productions that will uncover the full story of Britain’s forced adoption scandal for the first time.

Between the 1940s and the early 1980s, nearly 300,000 unmarried women in the UK had their babies forcibly taken for adoption by the state. Institutions - including social services, government agencies, and the NHS – which appeared to be working together in a system seemingly driven by deep-rooted prejudice against women based on their class, race, and marital status.

This documentary centres on the powerful firsthand testimonies of the mothers and their families, revealing how these communities continue to live with the trauma decades later. Woven together with rich archive material, these voices paint a vivid and deeply personal portrait of a shameful and hidden chapter in British history – one that inflicted lasting pain and divided families.

Now, those affected are seeking long-overdue justice. In Scotland, the film follows a team of distinguished lawyers pursuing government redress, while in England, calls for an official apology from the British government are growing. We have exclusive access to the lawyers leading these efforts.

Alongside these stories, the film explores ongoing investigations into the British government’s role in the policy of forced adoption and the lasting multigenerational impact of a hormone-blocking drug administered to many of these women - uncovering a potential medical scandal that still affects these communities today.

Parts of this story have been told before, but never in its entirety. Until now.

Taken: Britain’s Forced Adoption Scandal 1x90 for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer was commissioned by Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries and Louise Thornton, Head of commissioning, BBC Scotland.