Freddie joined Lincoln College from the Autism Dogs CIC charity and he’s been receiving ongoing training as he works towards being a fully-fledged therapy dog.
Charlotte McHugh, Head of Student Services and Supported Education at Lincoln College, said: “Freddie has been working really hard with his social skills, greeting students and being around people on campus, really being put through his paces so he can qualify, we hope, by the end of the year.”
“In the new academic year, we’re hoping to get Freddie much more involved, so getting him into lessons and including him more in helping students with their studies – so for instance art students might want to draw him, English students might want to write a story about him.
“We want to see him being an active part in classes, even more involved with students and their learning.”
Autism Dogs CIC, the charity Lincoln College has been working closely with, has recently achieved accreditation by Assistance Dogs International (ADI). ADI establishes and promotes standards of excellence in all areas of assistance dog acquisition, training, and partnership, and is the leading global authority in the Assistance Dogs industry.
Founder and director of Autism Dogs CIC Caroline Preston said: “The accreditation process with ADI is a significant undertaking with a 24-month assessment period, so it’s a huge achievement for the whole team. Our accreditation will help us to develop and grow our programme, so we can help to positively impact the lives of many more autistic children and adults across the UK.”
Once accredited, the assistance dog programme becomes a member of ADI. Member programmes must complete a reaccreditation every five years to comply with ADI’s Standards of Practice.
