A Lancaster University researcher has shared his expertise on the history of forced adoption in a two-episode special of ITV’s Long Lost Family, focusing on the Mother and Baby Home Scandal.

Dr Michael Lambert, Lecturer in Medical Humanities, has been researching England’s Mother and Baby Homes for the past decade. He has been called upon as a historical consultant for the programme, and appears on screen during the two-episode special, broadcast this week.

Dr Lambert has previously given evidence in Parliament on the topic of historic forced adoption, and continues to use his research to press the UK Government about the need for a formal state apology.

He said: “Long Lost Family is often what people think of when adoption is mentioned, particularly in the past. Over the last year I've helped with the development of a two-part special on the Mother and Baby Home Scandal.

“This examines the darker side of adoption's history which has often been overlooked. It draws on new findings from my research, a 2022 public inquiry, and experiences of campaigners to explore a shameful episode in British history which has, until now, hidden in plain sight.”

The two-episode special explores the stories of three families, with searches connected to experiences in English Mother and Baby homes. It also offers historical context from the 1940s to the 1970s, during which time an estimated 200,000 unmarried women were placed in homes. Campaigners continue to ask the UK government for an apology for what these young women and their babies endured.

Long Lost Family Special: The Mother and Baby Home Scandal airs across two nights on ITV1: 9pm on 3^rd and 4^th September.