The United Church of Canada is poised to strike a special task force dedicated to uncovering historic forced adoption practices, just as a national group prepares for an unprecedented conference next week that it hopes will catapult the topic squarely on to the public agenda and pressure the federal government to call an inquiry.

In April, the United Church launched Canada’s first major probe into allegations that women were coerced or forced into surrendering their children for adoption because they were unmarried. It now says it will also create a Task Group on Adoptions From United Church-run Maternity Homes at its general council meeting later this month.