Forced Adoptions MemorialPrint Page 
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) has unveiled a plaque and honoured the people who campaigned to raise awareness of forced adoption practices that were once prevalent throughout Australia.
RBWH led the way in 2009 by being the first hospital in Australia to apologise for forced adoptions.
The Royal’s Executive Director of Women and Newborn Services at the time, Professor Ian Jones, was instrumental in issuing the apology on behalf of the hospital and returned to unveil the plaque along with then Women’s and Newborn Services Nursing and Midwifery Director Noelle Cridland.
The project to develop a memorial plaque began in 2017, funded by the Australian Department of Social Services, in association with stakeholders from Adoption Loss Adult Support (ALAS), Association for Adoptees, Jigsaw Qld, and Origins Qld.
The practice of forced adoptions was widespread throughout Australia between the 1950s and 1970s. This plaque, designed by Inkahoots Design in association with stakeholder groups, will increase public awareness of forced adoption practices of the past.
The plaque honours the courage and persistence of those who were affected by forced adoption.
Qld Government, Metro North Health, 31 July 2018.
Forced adoption in Australia was the practice of taking babies from unmarried mothers, against their will, and placing them for adoption. The practice was widespread throughout Australia between the 1950s and 1970s.
In 2012 the Australian Senate Inquiry Report into Forced Adoption Practices found that babies were taken illegally by doctors, nurses, social workers and religious figures, sometimes with the assistance of adoption agencies or other authorities, and adopted to married couples. Some mothers were coerced, drugged and illegally had their consent taken. Many of these adoptions occurred after the mothers were sent away by their families 'due to the stigma associated with being pregnant and unmarried'.The removals occurred predominantly in the second half of the twentieth century. It was a practice which has been described as 'institutionalised baby farming.
On 21 March 2013 in the Great Hall at Parliament House Canberra, then Prime Minister Hon Julia Gillard delivered a National Apology to those affected by Forced Adoption and/ or removal practices and policies within Australia. Acknowledging the unjust and often illegal acts used in coercing Mothers to give up babies for adoption (now referred to as “Forced Adoption”) and recognising the ongoing mental suffering and life-long effects on all impacted by adoption.
Location
| Address: | Butterfield Street, Royal Brisbane Amd Womens Hospital, Herston, 4029 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -27.446528 Long: 153.028381 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Community |
| Designer: | Inkahoots Design |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | July-2018 |
|---|
