Overview
- The Interchurch Contact in Government Affairs, a forum of about 30 faith communities, said the separations were painful yet stopped short of offering an apology.
- The Dutch cabinet announced formal apologies last month for the state’s role, underscoring a growing gap with the churches.
- The churches said they would help provide information to affected people and offer pastoral support, framing their past role as tied to the social norms of the time.
- Advocacy groups split on the response, with Stichting De Nederlandse Afstandsmoeder urging a church apology while Verleden in Zicht blames the state most and calls the pastoral offer insulting.
- A government inquiry led by pedagogue Micha de Winter found lasting harm to mothers and children and documented about 15,000 cases between 1956 and 1984, many under pressure from family, child-protection services, and church-linked homes such as Moederheil in Breda and Huize De Bocht in Goirle.