The service that AADs provide is designed to support the ongoing responsibilities of parents/carers, assist in reducing the pressures and physical demand on parents/carers and provide positive companionship to the child. Independence An AAD assists with early intervention training for independence and to manage challenging behaviour / situations while reducing levels of stress and distress. An AAD will assist the parent with their child by providing independent mobility, whether walking to school or to other destinations in the community. The child can walk freely alongside the dog but remain safe, hence extending a comfortable access to a wider variety of environments. An AAD can be utilised to assist with personal tasks of daily life and to develop skills for the child to participate as autonomously as possible. The presence of the AAD calms the child, distracting or preventing meltdowns and interrupting repetitive behavior patterns before sensory overload is experienced. The dog can provide companionship for the child, as well as social and emotional support for the parent. Some of the family benefits reported to us include: improved quality and quantity of sleep (the child may wake less because of the AAD sleeping in their room); lower overall stress levels; increased number of outings and social interactions. Inclusion An AAD can help the child participate in social, leisure and educational activities, as well as reducing the stress associated with interacting with other people. The benefits for the entire family are individual and varied. The majority of families with an AAD report that outings with the entire family become possible and less stressful with the assistance of the trained dog. The dog’s presence may also encourage and increase social interaction between the child and his or her siblings and peers. An AAD has the same legal rights of access as a Guide or Hearing Dog. It is clearly identified by a coat which has securing points and a handle that the child can hold if appropriate or required. The purpose of the coat is to bring awareness to the special circumstances regarding the dog. This also increases the ease of access to public places by differentiating the status of an AAD from that of a pet. General The program is currently available to families residing in South Australia.
The service that AADs provide is designed to support the ongoing responsibilities of parents/carers, assist in reducing the pressures and physical demand on parents/carers and provide positive companionship to the child. Independence An AAD assists with early intervention training for independence and to manage challenging behaviour / situations while reducing levels of stress and distress. An AAD will assist the parent with their child by providing independent mobility, whether walking to school or to other destinations in the community. The child can walk freely alongside the dog but remain safe, hence extending a comfortable access to a wider variety of environments. An AAD can be utilised to assist with personal tasks of daily life and to develop skills for the child to participate as autonomously as possible. The presence of the AAD calms the child, distracting or preventing meltdowns and interrupting repetitive behavior patterns before sensory overload is experienced. The dog can provide companionship for the child, as well as social and emotional support for the parent. Some of the family benefits reported to us include: improved quality and quantity of sleep (the child may wake less because of the AAD sleeping in their room); lower overall stress levels; increased number of outings and social interactions. Inclusion An AAD can help the child participate in social, leisure and educational activities, as well as reducing the stress associated with interacting with other people. The benefits for the entire family are individual and varied. The majority of families with an AAD report that outings with the entire family become possible and less stressful with the assistance of the trained dog. The dog’s presence may also encourage and increase social interaction between the child and his or her siblings and peers. An AAD has the same legal rights of access as a Guide or Hearing Dog. It is clearly identified by a coat which has securing points and a handle that the child can hold if appropriate or required. The purpose of the coat is to bring awareness to the special circumstances regarding the dog. This also increases the ease of access to public places by differentiating the status of an AAD from that of a pet. General The program is currently available to families residing in South Australia.
IS606%20Autism%20Assistance%20Dog%20Program%20v3.0.docx