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Following our son's autism diagnosis, we spent years examining all manner of proven and cutting edge therapies, weird and wonderful - our aim being simply to allow him to reach his full potential and for his siblings to be supported and feel our time and attention is shared equally. Actually not such an easy ask!
We first attended a family fun day at Autism Angels 2 years ago. When my children were younger it was extremely hard to take them out on my own due to the very real risk I would lose one (or all!) of them. It is common for children with autism to have difficulty in sequencing/predicting events and limited awareness of danger -so that meant my eldest would often react to changes in routine and new environments by running off -a response which is not conducive to calm family days out when also accompanied by a pram and a toddler!
The fun day finally allowed me to offer my young children the experience every youngster deserves -to explore the great outdoors, feel challenged to gain new skills, take risks with support if needed; all of which are essential to their healthy development.The AA volunteers worked tirelessly to engage with the children on the spectrum and encourage their participation, communication and independence. They also ensured that the needs of the whole family were met. And the best part? It was FUN!
I have volunteered with the charity for the past year which has allowed me to witness first hand the dramatic changes to families from fun days and camps but also mentoring schemes for the older children and training for parents and professionals. Anxiety is a huge issue for those on the spectrum and research proves that working with horses lowers heart rates and improves positive thoughts about the future. We find social interaction and communication and self esteem is enhanced and we use the equine facilitated training model to ensure these positive changes are both life changing and sustainable for the long term, for the entire family.
