Gloucester House introduces pet therapy

Gloucester House, our Trust-run school, has been working with the national charity Pets as Therapy (PAT) to enhance the health and wellbeing of their students. The charity works with communities across the UK by bringing temperament-assessed pets to visit establishments such as schools.

Since January, Gloucester House students have been visited weekly by Casper, a 6 year old Flat Coated Retriever, who has been a therapy dog for 4 years. Casper is described as a kind and gentle dog, who is a great listener and likes to work in a calm environment. Students have been told that they can speak to Casper about something good that has happened, any concerns they may have or just an issue on their mind.

Gloucester House is our leading special school with a uniquely integrated specialist clinical team. We offer quality education and therapeutic services for up to 21 children (aged 5 to 14 years) with social, emotional and mental health difficulties and their families/carers.

The introduction of Casper the dog falls under the umbrella term of animal-assisted therapy, which is where animals are used as a tool for improving people’s mental health. For children, struggling with their mental wellbeing, the presence of an animal has been proven to put them at ease and make them feel less intimidated when processing their emotions.

As well as helping them emotionally, the introduction of animals can provide them with vital life skills by:

• Boosting their confidence
• Teaching them to care for others
• Enhancing their social and communication skills
• Improving concentration
• Showing them how to be empathetic

Casper’s weekly visits to Gloucester House is proving effective, as it is offering an alternative to traditional therapy, while improving student engagement and motivation.

We have been at the forefront of exploring mental health and wellbeing for over 100 years. We work to pioneer the development and delivery of innovative and effective clinical interventions, such as art therapy, Thrive and Watch Me Play!

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