The one-off documentary for ITV will see Simmonds exploring the relationship between disability and adoption.

Flicker Productions will produce the hour long documentary in which Ellie will ask why up to an estimated 40 percent of children in the England and Wales care system have a registered disability (far higher than the eight per cent average for the rest of the population).

A statement from ITV says this 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.”

Speaking about the project 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.”

Ellie Simmonds investigates the links between disability and adoption in new ITV documentary