Autism is
a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person
communicates and relates to people around them making everyday social
interaction difficult.
More than 535,000 people in the UK today are thought to be autistic
with around 2.3 million people are affected by Autism including family
members and professionals involved in the care and support of people with
autism.
The estimated number of children & families who could benefit from an
AA Dog in the UK: 72,724
Although each and every autistic child is unique, many exhibit
behaviour that leads to social isolation both within the family and with
other people, mobility issues and a basic lack of awareness of danger in
everyday situations.
For parents and family members, this results in highly stressful daily
life and an inability to function normally in social situations for
example not being able to go shopping or to a restaurant. In addition,
there are genuine issues of safety with many children displaying a
tendency to bolt in open spaces.
Just as no two children with
Autism exhibit identical types of behaviour, so too the benefits of each
Autism Assistance Dog partnership are unique.
Some of the benefits that can be experienced
are:
- Increase safety for the child
- Increase child’s independence
- Control child by commanding dog
- Teaches the child responsibility
- Full public access to shops, restaurants,
etc.
- Positive changes in behaviour, lower
aggression level
- Comforts when upset
This new service will meet the needs of
parents for a degree of predictability in social settings for the child and
themselves. It will help to bring independence not just for the children but
for their parents.
An Autism Assistance Dog can help the child to participate in education,
social and leisure activities, reduces the stress associated with
interacting with other people and getting involved in social situations.
Guidelines for Applicants
Please note:
Since the launch of our Autism Assistance Dog training programme we have
been inundated with enquiries. Due to funding and resources we are not
accepting any further applications at this present time. Please keep
checking our website for any future developments regarding this programme.
Should you have any queries please email supportdogs@btconnect.com
Applicants should bear in mind the
following guidelines:
- The child must have a confirmed diagnosis
of autism from an official body and autism must also be the primary
disability.
- The parents must be committed to their
involvement in the programme and be willing to be interviewed at home by an
Instructor and an independent evaluator. Parents must also be willing to keep
daily records of the child’s behaviour and development by the use of a
written diary and in some cases video recording.
The parents must demonstrate commitment
towards the training of the dog and be able to attend a
two weekresidential training course at Support Dogs National
Training Centre in Sheffield followed by the child training at home during
a minimum period of three weeks plus any extra training
visits as required.
The parents must be able to demonstrate
that they have the commitment and motivation to care for and exercise the
dog as taught by the Instructor. This includes accepting that the dog may be
required to
sleep in the child’s room for the maximum effect of developing a bond.
There must be one parent at home to look
after the dog during the day. A dog can not be left unattended for more
than four hours as it may become anxious and stressed.
There must be a safe and secure
environment for the dog to live in and have suitable facilities for
relieving itself.
Permission must be given to obtain a
medical report from the family doctor.
Applications can only be considered for
children aged between 3 to 10 years.
The child must be physically able to walk
on short journeys and be happy to make contact with the dog and display no
signs of fear.
The family must accept the
responsibilities of dog ownership and use the Assistance Dog sufficiently
to justify its provision.
The parents need to be able to understand
and implement instruction and exercise control of the dog.
The parents must accept and comply with
the terms of the Agreement and be aware that the dog may be withdrawn if
it is not being cared for or being used in an appropriate manner.
Families that already have a pet dog will
not be considered for selection as the presence of another dog could cause
training and behaviour issues.
Other children in the family must
understand that this is a special dog and that they will not be able to
treat it like a family pet, as initially the main bond must develop with
the autistic child
