The Animal Wellbeing Program provides wellbeing sessions aimed to improve engagement and reduce isolation of people with complex needs in educational, disability or community-based settings.

Our facilitator visits any site that is happy to accommodate us, and we bring along our own portable pens and animal items.

The animals’ range in size, breed, and shape, however we are guided by the individuals attending the sessions.

We have a dog, joeys, small goats and lambs, ducks, a rooster and chickens, lizards, stick insects and guinea pigs. We also have rescued/injured animals come into our care so birds and possums etc. can be with us on occasions.

Interactions with the animals are in the form of holding, patting, feeding, and learning about the animals. We integrate self-care and behavioural strategies/conversations within the sessions and tailor this to the participant/s.

The Animal Wellbeing Program run during school terms in several educational and disability settings for young people and adults. There is availability for 1:1 and small group sessions during school holidays. We have previously held sessions in youth detox and rehabilitation settings, in waiting rooms to help with emotional regulation, within people’s homes, for the Department of Child Protection, during playgroups and in community centres.

Our facilitator can also attend event, for example we have attended Foster and Kinship Care Events and have run staff mindfulness/wellbeing sessions in an office space.

Sessions are flexible and can be held for as long as you like. The program is fee for service with an hourly rate.

For further information and pricing please email animalwellbeing@centacare.org.au or call 8159 1400.