Today marks 100 years since a massive change in Britain’s social identity.
A campaigner from the South West pioneered the legalisation of adoption, changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.
Clara Andrew from Exeter was inspired after working with orphans and refugees during the First World War.
But a century on, much has changed.
Recently the government and Church of England both apologised for their roles in the forced adoptional scandal, where unmarried mothers were separated from their babies.
And in 2026, experts say the system is under pressure, and fewer people are coming forward to adopt.
In this documentary, we explore the long – and sometimes dark – history of adoption in Britain, and examine whether the system is now creaking under strain.
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