Gordon Brown to apologise to former child migrants: Care leavers charity wants more apologies from UK government
As reported by World News Australia, Gordon Brown is to issue a formal apology next year to thousands of Brits who were put into care as children and sent to Australia, Canada and other former colonies as the result of 20th-century child migrant programs.
As many as 150,000 British children may have been shipped abroad under the programs, which operated until 1967.
In Australia, PM Kevin Rudd is apologising today to the child migrants, and to around 500,000 former looked-after children who suffered abuse and neglect in state care. They have been dubbed the "forgotten Australians". Read one of their stories here.
Back in the UK, the Care Leavers Association (CLA) is calling for Brown to apologise to children abused in the British care system as well.
Will Macmahon, president of CLA said: "On November 16th Kevin Rudd is to offer an apology to all adults who suffered abuse in care in Australia. The Care Leavers' Association expects Gordon Brown to extend his New Year apology in the same way and to offer an apology to all care leavers who experienced abuse while in care in the UK. There is a need for an independent inquiry so that, like Australia, the UK can acknowledge and offer an apology for the events that took place."
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