What is care farming?

Care farming means the therapeutic use of farming practices. It's sometimes called social farming. Care farming sits amongst other nature-based therapies that are collectively called 'green care'. Green care means structured nature programmes for people with a defined need to benefit health, social care or education outcomes . Care farms can look very different from each other and are as diverse as the people that they support. One thing all care farms have is common is providing a supervised, structured programme of farm-related activity for people with a defined need. Care is bespoke, person-centred and focused on the individual.

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Lucky Tails Care Farm is set on over 5 acres of land and home to alpacas, donkeys, sheep, as well as small fluffy animals. We are fully inclusive and offer bespoke sessions based on your individual child’s needs. We have trained staff who work with the SEN children and young adults. At the farm we offer recognised qualifications through ASDAN. These are taught on the farm not in a classroom.

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Who benefits?

Put simply, anyone with a defined need can benefit from time on a care farm! The care farm provides services for children with learning disabilities or with ASD. Children excluded from school or at risk of being excluded or on Alternative Provision.

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What do we offer?

We offer bespoke sessions for each individual based on their needs and this is discussed with parents, carers and schools prior to their first visit.

Therapy sessions can be from as little as an hour and involve spending therapeutic time with a chosen animal. We offer half day and full day sessions in farming the animals. We teach Animal care and other qualifications which are delivered via ASDAN.

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What is ASDAN ?

ASDAN is a charity and awarding organisation providing courses, accredited curriculum programmes and regulated qualifications to engage, elevate and empower young people in the greatest need. The goal is to engage them through relevant and motivating courses to achieve meaningful learning outcomes and empower them to take control of their lives. We define young people in greatest need as those living in poverty, without support for their emotional and social needs, those with a special educational need or disability, those not engaged or succeeding in their education, who miss an English and/or Maths pass at 16 or subsequently, and who are at risk of becoming NEET.  

Our goal is to engage them through relevant and motivating courses to achieve meaningful learning outcomes, which elevate them to go on to further education, training and work, and empower them to take control of their lives. We do this by developing courses with an accessible and practical pedagogy for learners; and by working with our partner educators to foster the personal, social and work-related 

abilities of young people in greatest need.

We know the development of personal, social and work-related abilities is vital for learners of all abilities because:

• strengthening these abilities supports academic and vocational learning.

• they are particularly effective in re-engaging young people in greatest need.

• they are important for accessing knowledge and skills.

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