Strictly’s Ellie Simmonds’ adoptive parents fostered another 70 children

Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Simmonds’ kind-hearted adoptive parents fostered a total of 70 children over the years, it has been revealed.

The 28 year old Paralympian this week opened up on how she had been placed for adoption at three months old – because of her dwarfism. She made the revelation in her upcoming ITV documentary that sees her track down her birth mum.

In the show, called Ellie Simmonds: My Secret Family, she will be seen on an emotional journey to find her biological mum to understand why she was given up for adoption.

The athlete and TV star, who took part in Strictly in 2022, has achondroplasia – which is the most common form of dwarfism. She has often spoken about her parents offering their unwavering support in her swimming career – but she has now shared that they actually adopted her after she was fostered at just 10 days old.

Now her adoptive mum Valerie, 70, has revealed how she and husband Stephen fostered 70 children during their lifetime and were known to social services for providing a loving, safe home. She added they adopted Ellie after getting a call from a charity working with children with dwarfism.

She and Stephen had previously been in contact with the charity while looking after their daughter Katie, who suffers from the same condition.

Speaking to MailOnline, Valerie said: “When Katie was born with dwarfism we didn’t know anything about it so had to do a lot of research about it. A few months after that, we got a call one day asking us if we wanted to adopt a child with the same condition, which was Ellie.

“We never said no to any child that needed our help and love.I suppose that we had a big house and wanted to fill it with children and that we got quite good at taking them in.”

In the documentary, Ellie uncovers a heartbreaking history, including copies of medical records which told her birth mother that Ellie would need to be prepared for being stared at and laughed at as a child, that some people might view her as "evil and stupid", and that people with her condition may end up being involved in the circus or theatre because of their muscular build.

The shocking documents leave Ellie stunned as she says: "Can you imagine reading that and thinking, 'That’s my child'? In a way, I understand, when you don’t know anything about the disability and you get this. You’re going to be scared."

She also finds upsetting paperwork from a social worker who had recorded how her mother felt guilty about her disability and felt it would have been better if she had had an abortion or Ellie had died at birth.

Ellie considers calling off the search for her mum after reading the social worker’s account. But she continues looking and hears a moving story from the daughter of the woman who fostered her when she was 10 days old up to three months old. The woman sadly died last year and hadn't contacted Ellie in case she didn't know she was adopted.

Her daughter tells Ellie: "When you went to the Olympics she said to us, 'I’m positive that’s Ellie who I fostered'. Because she remembered your adoptive parents had a swimming pool.

"She watched you on telly and she’d have been so chuffed to know you knew you were fostered, it’s so sad she’s not here for you to tell her."

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