This paper reports on the incidence of mental and physical disorders in children in Ontario who are permanent wards and legally free for adoption. It explores the incidence of disabilities in crown wards in relation to their experiences of maltreatment and permanency planning, family history, in-care experiences, and residential settings. Information on 429 children, representing about 21% of all eligible wards, is reviewed and analyzed.
Results showed that 56.9% of the children were male, 86.7% were without access, and 57.8% had a disabling condition. The number of disabilities found among children ranged from 1 to 8. In total, 39% of children had one disability, 31% had two, 13% had three and the remainder had more. The most frequent disability was ADHD (20.5%), followed by speech and language disorders or delays (11%). For children attending school and over age 5, 42.2% had an Individual Education Plan.