THE Methodist Church has offered “sincerest apologies” to “anyone who was hurt or abused” within the mother-and baby homes it ran within the Nineteen Fifties and ’60s.
A proper apology was issued by the Connexional Council — the trustees of the Methodist Church — on Wednesday of last week.
“Part of the mission of the Methodist Church within the twentieth century was to work with single moms who didn’t have others to support them. The aim of the Church (which not runs any homes) was to supply compassion and care.
“But we’re deeply saddened and ashamed that some moms who lived in these homes, and a few children who began their lives there, have shared with us that they experienced poor or abusive care and were denied control and decision making over their very own lives,” the statement said.
“For a long time these institutions operated under our oversight, and plenty of vulnerable individuals, we’ve been told, were subjected to harsh conditions, neglect and abuse. We deeply regret any pain and trauma which could have been attributable to our actions and the systemic failures that allowed such injustice to occur.”
The Council thanked women who had revealed their experiences, and expressed hope that this may “encourage more women to come back forward to we will offer ongoing support.
“We recognise the profound impact these experiences have had on survivors and their families and we’re committed to supporting the healing process and ensuring that such injustices are never repeated,” the statement said.
Only a small percentage of mother-and-baby homes were run by the Methodist Church; more were overseen by the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England.
According to the Children’s Homes website, a lot of the Methodist homes were positioned in England, two were in Northern Ireland, and one was in Dublin.
Mother-and-baby homes run by religious organisations in Ireland were the main focus of five-year commission of investigation (News, 15 January 2021). Discussions about compensation payments continu(News, 5 January 2024).
