Assistant Principal's Report
Meet Luna – Therapy Dog in Training!
Luna is one of my family pets, alongside Buddy. She is a 10-month-old cocker spaniel who is in the process of becoming a recognised Therapy Dog.
A Therapy Dog is different to an emotional support or wellbeing dog. They are trained to support and interact with a variety of people, unlike Service Animals or Assistance Animals, who are trained specifically to support the needs of one person.
For a dog to become a recognised Therapy Dog, they (and their owner) are required to participate in extensive training with qualified trainers and animal behaviour experts to ensure they are trained to a high standard and meet the Service Animals Australia Essential Standards for Therapy Dogs.
Strategic use of Therapy Dogs in a school setting can contribute towards improving the overall wellbeing of students. Therapy Dogs can provide meaningful opportunities for social and emotional learning that are authentic and relevant for all students.
Therapy Dogs in schools can also benefit students in the following ways:
- Increase motivation for learning.
- Help students gain confidence.
- Reduce stress and anxiety.
- Increase school attendance.
- Increase student emotional literacy.
- Improve student emotional regulation.
- Improve student interpersonal and social skills.
Luna is working with trainers from Therapy Animals Australia, who use the PAWS Model for Therapy Dogs. The model has been developed in consultation with educators, animal behaviour experts, psychologists and occupational therapists.
P – Positive interactions
A – Assess, adapt, achieve
W – Working together
S – Social inclusion
Luna visited FPS last week and will be coming in on Thursdays and Fridays as part of her training. During her time at school, Luna will join me in my day-to-day tasks and get to meet students all across the school.
~ Sarah Abbott, Assistant Principal