THE Methodist Church has offered “sincerest apologies” to “anyone who was hurt or abused” in the mother-and baby homes it ran in the 1950s and ’60s.

A formal 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 in the 20th century was to work with single mothers who did not have others to support them. The aim of the Church (which no longer runs any homes) was to offer compassion and care.

“But we are deeply saddened and ashamed that some mothers who lived in these homes, and some children who started their lives there, have shared with us that they experienced poor or abusive care and were denied control and decision making over their own lives,” the statement said.

“For decades these institutions operated under our oversight, and many vulnerable individuals, we have been told, were subjected to harsh conditions, neglect and abuse. We deeply regret any pain and trauma which may have been caused by 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 would “encourage more women to come forward to we can offer ongoing support.

“We recognise the profound impact these experiences have had on survivors and their families and we are 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, most of the Methodist homes were located in England, two were in Northern Ireland, and one was in Dublin.

Mother-and-baby homes run by religious organisations in Ireland were the focus of five-year commission of investigation (News, 15 January 2021). Discussions about compensation payments continu(News, 5 January 2024).