ITV has commissioned a one-off documentary with Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds exploring the relationship between disability and adoption.

Flicker Productions, the makers ITV documentaries Kate Garraway: Finding Derek and Caring for Derek, will produce the 1×60 documentary in which Ellie will ask why up to an estimated 40 per cent of children in the England and Wales care system have a registered disability.

This is far higher than the eight per cent average for the rest of the population and will serve as Ellie’s starting point for further investigation. Attempting to unpick the truth behind these figures, Ellie will spend time with families who have adopted disabled children, meet those who felt they could not raise a disabled child, hear deeply personal stories and highlight the pioneering work of social services teams around the UK.

Ellie Simmonds said: “I’m really looking forward to working with ITV on this film about the relationship between adoption and disability, which is so close to my heart and which needs much greater awareness.”

Colleen Flynn, Executive Producer said: “We are very excited to partner up with Ellie and ITV on such an important documentary, one that asks questions about attitudes towards disability and is underpinned by our trademark values of empathy, compassion and inclusivity.”

The film is commissioned for ITV by Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of ITV Factual, who said: “This is a landmark film about a very important subject and  I know  Ellie plus the team at  Flicker will bring to it an authentic and uniquely personal perspective.”

The Director for Flicker Productions is Jasleen Kaur Sethi.

Jon Creamer

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