Latest news with #HelenGibson
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
People over 80 applying to UK courts to be parents of children born via surrogate
Data from the UK Children and Family Court Advisory Service (Cafcass) show a handful of octogenarians were among the applications between 2020 and 2025. Rising numbers of people in their 50s, 60s and 70s are also applying to be legal parents of children born through surrogacy, via the family court. Surrogacy allows a woman to become pregnant and give birth on behalf of a couple, who then become the child's legal parents. Cafcass did not tell The Times, which submitted a UK freedom of information request to the agency, exactly how many applications there were from people over 80 as there were fewer than six in each year during the period. The agency said the figures 'could potentially identify the individuals involved'. Applications from men in their 50s rose from 44 in 2020 to 95 in 2025, the figures show. There were 416 parental order applications from males and females in their 50s between 2020 and 2025. There were also 43 from men in their 60s. Cafcass said there had been 1,991 applications for parental orders between 2020 and 2024. Helen Gibson, the founder of the campaign group Surrogacy Concern, told the Telegraph: 'We are appalled to see parental order applications for surrogate-born babies being made by people in their 60s, 70s and 80s: there can be no justification for such a selfish act. 'It is even more concerning to see that these figures are rising consistently year by year. 'There is no upper age limit for parental orders or pursuit of surrogacy in the UK or in the majority of countries British people are travelling to in order to have surrogate-born children. 'Surrogacy does not centre the rights of the child or their needs, and we are in danger of a new public scandal unfolding where children are treated as commodities: trafficked across oceans before becoming carers for elderly parents who will not live to see them reach the age of majority. 'Government must strongly consider whether or not any of this is in the child's interests. Most surrogacy cases which come before our courts are now dominated by foreign cases, usually babies born to mothers in commercial surrogacy arrangements which would be illegal in the UK, and increasingly to older parents. 'The government must act urgently to empower the courts to block these parental order applications and ban the pursuit of surrogacy abroad by Britons,' she added.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
People in their EIGHTIES are using surrogate mothers to become parents, shocking new figures reveal
There's been an increase in people aged over 80 using surrogates to become parents later in life—sparking furious backlash from anti-surrogacy campaigners. Surrogacy is when a woman carries a pregnancy for a couple—or individual— who become the child's legal parent after the baby's birth. Figures released by the Children and Family Court Advisory Service (Cafcass) showed that between 2020 and 2025, a 'handful' of applications were made by octogenarians. When pressed by The Times, who obtained the data after placing a Freedom of Information Request (FOI), Cafcass refused to reveal exactly how many applications were made by people in their eighties. They said the figures 'could potentially identify the individuals involved', but clarified that there were fewer than six applications per year during that period. This means that there could have been a maximum of thirty applications. The Cafcass data showed there had been 1,991 applications for parental orders between 2020 and 2024. The data revealed an overall increase in older people applying for legal parent status of babies born through surrogacy. There were 416 parental order applications from males and females in their fifties between 2020 and 2025, and 43 from men in their sixties. There was also an upward trend in applications made by men in their fifties, with 44 in 2020 and 95 in 2025. Helen Gibson, founder of the campaign group Surrogacy Concern, said: 'We are appalled to see parental order applications for surrogate-born babies being made by people in their sixties, seventies and eighties — there can be no justification for such a selfish act. 'It is even more concerning to see that these figures are rising consistently year by year. 'There is no upper age limit for parental orders or pursuit of surrogacy in the UK or in the majority of countries British people are travelling to in order to have surrogate-born children. 'It is ludicrous that people can obtain parental orders for surrogate-born children decades after their natural childbearing years have ended. 'Government must strongly consider whether or not any of this is in the child's interests. 'Most surrogacy cases which come before our courts are now dominated by foreign cases, usually babies born to mothers in commercial surrogacy arrangements which would be illegal in the UK, and increasingly to older parents. 'The Government must act urgently to empower the courts to block these parental order applications and ban the pursuit of surrogacy abroad by Britons.' In May, a couple in their 70s were granted a court order to become the legal parents of a 14-month-old surrogate baby boy—despite a judge's concerns they could die before the child reaches 18. The husband and wife, both aged 72, applied to the courts for a parental order in July after the baby was born six months earlier to a surrogate in California using the husband's sperm and a donor egg. In a written judgment handed down in the family division of the High Court, it said the application by the couple - referred to only as 'Mr and Mrs K' - was allowed on March 28. Mrs Justice Knowles said that she had made her judgment public because it raised an 'important welfare issue and offers some advice for those who may, in future, engage in a foreign or other surrogacy arrangement'. She added that it was an 'undeniable fact' that when the child - referred to as 'B' - started primary school, Mr and Mrs K would be both aged 76. 'Put starkly, Mr and Mrs K will both be 89 years old when B reaches his majority [18 years old],' she said. Mr and Mrs K paid just over £151,000 to the surrogate mother and the agency, of which just £24,635 was deemed to be 'reasonably incurred' by the court, according to the judgement. There is no legal age limit for so-called 'intended parents' in surrogacy arrangements in the UK, but campaigners have condemned the trend of older people having babies through surrogates. Lexi Ellingsworth, co-founder at Stop Surrogacy Now UK, said this case demonstrates the 'flaws' in the current law when it comes to surrogacy arrangements in the UK. She added: 'There are no upper age limits for commissioning parents in the UK, or for surrogate mothers, and the 'parental order pathway' would continue to allow Britons to go abroad to buy babies. 'This appalling loophole which enables people to get around our domestic ban on commercial surrogacy practices must be closed by the Government immediately.' Surrogacy is legal in the UK, but the law prevents commercial arrangements, meaning it is illegal to advertise for a surrogate mother or pay her more than 'reasonable expenses'. Under British law, the surrogate mother is treated as the legal mother at birth and any husband or partner she has as the father. Couples in surrogacy arrangements can apply to a court within six months of the child's birth for a 'parental order' to acquire parenthood. These extinguish the status of the surrogate mother and grant parental status to the couple. A new birth certificate can then be issued. However courts in the UK must assess what has been paid to the surrogate mother, as part of the process. If more than 'reasonable expenses' were paid, the court has to authorise the payment — but one has never before refused to authorise a payment because it would ultimately jeopardise the wellbeing of the child. According to in the US - where commercialised surrogacy is legal - surrogate mothers can be paid $20,000 to $30,000. In the UK, which has an 'altruistic' system, surrogates are paid around £12,000 to £15,000.
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Four-year-old pupils taught about surrogacy, 'tummy mummies' and 'donated sperm or eggs' in lessons blasted as 'highly inappropriate' by parents and campaigners
Primary school children aged just four are being taught about surrogacy when they learn where babies come from for the first time. Reception classes are told that children can have a 'tummy mummy' as well as a 'mummy and/or daddy who will be their parents' when learning about the basics of reproduction. Among 'key vocabulary' four and five-year-olds must learn are 'surrogacy' and 'donated sperm or eggs' in a module titled: 'Where do babies come from?' Parents and campaigners say it is 'highly inappropriate' to teach these topics to such young children, saying it is only likely to confuse them. They add that the concepts should be introduced only to much older children 'as part of lessons on thorny ethical issues such as euthanasia and abortion'. Industry estimates suggest about 500 children are born through surrogacy in the UK each year – equating to just 0.08 per cent of children born in England and Wales in 2023. About half of these children result from arrangements involving foreign surrogates, and campaigners warn this often leads to poor women in developing countries being exploited. Helen Gibson, founder of Surrogacy Concern, said she is 'appalled' to see surrogacy being taught to such young children and has written to the Department for Education (DfE) to raise concerns. She said: 'Surrogacy is higher risk for severe pregnancy complications, it is unethical, exploitative and highly contentious.' However, pro-surrogacy groups have lobbied MPs for the practice to be 'included in schools', a document seen by the Mail shows. The DfE said the teaching material was developed by a private relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) provider and is not compulsory in all primary schools, adding: 'The RSHE guidance is clear that where schools choose to do so they must make sure they teach age-appropriate topics.'
Scottish Sun
06-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Warning to young women after surge in egg donations to fertility clinics despite risk of severe side effects
WOMEN as young as 18 are risking their health by donating their eggs in return for cash, campaigners warn. Surrogacy Concern said the number of 18 to 25-year-olds signing up to donate to private fertility clinics shot up from 190 in 2012 to 509 in 2022. It is illegal in the UK to buy a woman's eggs but clinics can pay up to £985 for expenses. The campaign group said some openly advertise the sum to young women and pay the full amount without asking for receipts. It said donation is generally safe but can be uncomfortable, with possible severe side-effects such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, bowel perforations, abscesses and even sepsis. Surrogacy Concern founder Helen Gibson said teenagers may also underestimate the effects on their mental health. She said: 'We're really worried that women are doing this for money and are not being fully informed of the risks to their health. 'This is a lot of money at any age but especially if you're working-class or a student. 'You could do it three times and make nearly £3,000, and you're allowed to do up to ten cycles. It's insanity. 'We want the minimum age for donation to rise to 25, all payments ended to remove the risk of financial motivation and adverts asking for young women to donate their eggs to be banned.' Donor eggs must be taken from women younger than 35 as that is when they are most fertile. They take hormone drugs to stimulate the ovaries before the eggs are removed with a needle. Health Minister Karin Smyth said the £985 compensation had risen from £750 due to inflation, and clinics' ads are under the jurisdiction of the Advertising Standards Agency. She said: 'We will monitor the issues raised. "Women's health, particularly inequalities, are absolutely central to this Government's priorities.' White couple sue IVF clinic after their baby was born with 'Asian features' that left husband fearing wife had cheated on him
The Sun
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Warning to young women after surge in egg donations to fertility clinics despite risk of severe side effects
WOMEN as young as 18 are risking their health by donating their eggs in return for cash, campaigners warn. Surrogacy Concern said the number of 18 to 25-year-olds signing up to donate to private fertility clinics shot up from 190 in 2012 to 509 in 2022. It is illegal in the UK to buy a woman's eggs but clinics can pay up to £985 for expenses. The campaign group said some openly advertise the sum to young women and pay the full amount without asking for receipts. It said donation is generally safe but can be uncomfortable, with possible severe side-effects such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, bowel perforations, abscesses and even sepsis. Surrogacy Concern founder Helen Gibson said teenagers may also underestimate the effects on their mental health. She said: 'We're really worried that women are doing this for money and are not being fully informed of the risks to their health. 'This is a lot of money at any age but especially if you're working-class or a student. 'You could do it three times and make nearly £3,000, and you're allowed to do up to ten cycles. It's insanity. 'We want the minimum age for donation to rise to 25, all payments ended to remove the risk of financial motivation and adverts asking for young women to donate their eggs to be banned.' Donor eggs must be taken from women younger than 35 as that is when they are most fertile. They take hormone drugs to stimulate the ovaries before the eggs are removed with a needle. Health Minister Karin Smyth said the £985 compensation had risen from £750 due to inflation, and clinics' ads are under the jurisdiction of the Advertising Standards Agency. She said: 'We will monitor the issues raised. "Women's health, particularly inequalities, are absolutely central to this Government's priorities.' White couple sue IVF clinic after their baby was born with 'Asian features' that left husband fearing wife had cheated on him 1
