UNMARRIED MOTHERS WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO RIGHTS

It was a lie.

English Law recognised that an unmarried mother's rights superseded all others - that she was the only legal guardian of her baby, until she signed the adoption consent. To comply with adoption law and meet stringent legal requirements an established procedure had to follow. The law contained safeguards to protect an unmarried mother from coercion and duress making it illegal for anyone to pressure or force her to give up her baby for adoption or sign the Adoption Consent.

98.9% of unmarried mothers surveyed wanted to keep their babies, but were forced or pressured into surrendering them for adoption.

The law required an unmarried mother to make an informed decision about her baby's future. To comply with the legal requirement she had to be informed of her rights, her entitlements and the alternatives to adoption.

Only 3% of unmarried mothers were informed of their rights,
entitlements and the alternatives to adoption.

The law stipulated that before the Court adoption hearing could take place an unmarried mother's freely given consent to her baby's adoption had to be taken in the presence of a Justice of the Peace.

69.9% of unmarried mothers were not told the identity of the consent taker.

Until the adoption was finalised, an unmarried mother was legally entitled to ask for her baby to be returned.

99.5% of unmarried mothers were not told they were legally entitled to reclaim their baby.

When the adoption application was lodged with the Court, a Guardian ad Litem was appointed to represent the baby's interests and interview the baby's unmarried mother to establish whether she had signed the adoption consent of her own free will or had been coerced.

88% of unmarried mothers were not interviewed by the Guardian.

98.7% of unmarried mothers were not asked by anyone in authority whether they has signed the Adoption Consent of their own free will or had been forced or pressured to sign it.

With total disregard for the law, unmarried mothers' rights were ignored.

Copyright © Patricia Basquill, 2002 - 2008