Our trauma informed approach to wellbeing at the Bidgee School encompasses many different strategies and initiatives, the most popular being our beautiful team of therapy dogs, Frankie, Izzy, Audrey and Humphrey.
Our therapy dogs are first and foremost experts at getting our students (and staff) to smile. Their day to day interactions with students are filled with lots of pats and cuddles and puppy kisses. These interactions provide comfort, ease stress and anxiety and provide a sense of connection in difficult situations. This is evident when our therapy dogs visit Ronald McDonald House regularly throughout the year.
Frankie, Izzy, Audrey and Humphrey's intuition is finely tuned to detect when students need them and are quick to respond by leaning in for a cuddle, sitting close for a pat and/or climbing onto a lap. This is both soothing and comforting, providing students with the emotional support and encouragement needed for regulation.
It is scientifically proven that dogs increase our happy hormones, oxytocin and decrease our stress hormone, cortisol which makes it much easier for students to access their learning, in turn promoting confidence and improved motivation.
So what does that look like at school? Improved attendance, decreased anxiety, improved engagement in academic tasks, improved social skills and coping strategies, increased empathy and interpersonal skills and generally happier students. The smiles say it all!
