NDIA Accountability Project

This project is in DRAFT

Guide Dogs for Vision Impaired Adolescents

‹ PrevPage 1 of 6 · Source p. 23Next ›

FOI 24/25-0473 Focussed Response DOCUMENT 9 OFFICIAL For Internal Use Only

Guide Dogs for Vision Impaired Adolescents

The content of this document is OFFICIAL. Please note: The research and literature reviews collated by our TAB Research Team are not to be shared external to the Branch. These are for internal TAB use only and are intended to assist our advisors with their reasonable and necessary decision-making. Delegates have access to a wide variety of comprehensive guidance material. If Delegates require further information on access or planning matters, they are to call the TAPS line for advice. The Research Team are unable to ensure that the information listed below provides an accurate & up-to-date snapshot of these matters

Research question: What are the outcomes (positive and negative) for young teenagers matched with guide dogs? Date: 2/5/23 Requestor: Anita s47F - personal privacy , Liz s47F - persona Endorsed by: Yuemeis47F - person Researcher: Stephanie s47F - personal privacy Aaron s47F - personal privacy Cleared by: Aaron s47F - personal privacy

  1. Contents Guide Dogs for Vision Impaired Adolescents ………………………………………………………………….. 1
  2. Contents ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
  3. Summary ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
  4. Current practice of matching guide dogs with adolescents ……………………………………. 2
  5. Benefits and risks……………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 4.1 Potential benefits …………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 4.2 Risks and negative outcomes ………………………………………………………………………… 5
  6. References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5

Guide dogs for adolescents Page 1 of 6 OFFICIAL Page 131 of 153

FOI 24/25-0473 Focussed Response DOCUMENT 9 OFFICIAL For Internal Use Only 2. Summary From the available evidence, it is unclear whether there are any benefits or risks associated with the use of guide dogs for younger adolescents. It is unclear whether use of guide dogs for younger adolescents is associated with any better, worse or different outcomes compared to use of guide dogs for adults. Very little published research exists on the subject. Just two studies describe the potential benefits and risks of adolescent guide dog use. Both studies are descriptive qualitative studies of the lowest level of evidence. Many claimed or predicted effects are suggested to be similar for adult guide dog use. Benefits may include improvements to mobility, safety, independence, confidence and social participation. Risks or drawbacks may include cost and time expenditure, allergies, stigma and public access issues. Factors particular to younger adolescents include risk of unwanted attention when unaccompanied in public and potential to improve independence and confidence as young people transition to adulthood. In addition, there is a suggestion that the guide dog may be used in a modified form as a capacity building support for young people. Stronger evidence exists for the benefits and risks of other service animals for younger adolescents. However, it is not clear whether this literature can be applied to guide dog use. 3. Current practice of matching guide dogs with adolescents The evidence base examining the use of guide dogs for adolescents is minimal. Most guide dog programs do not match dogs with people under 16 years old (Gavrok et al, 2018; Walther et al, 2017; Guide Dog Users, Inc., 2020). The US-based Guide Dog Users, Inc. surveys guide dog schools in the USA. Of the 12 respondents to the 2020 survey, 10 stated a lower age limit of 15-18. Two schools did not have a lower age limit but “will consider teenagers on an individual basis” (Guide Dog Users, Inc., 2020). The UK-based Guide Dogs organisation does not have a minimum age limit but requires all applicants to have a certain level of fitness, mobility and orientation skills (Guide Dogs UK, n.d.). Health Direct, the Australian government funded health information website, states that guide dogs “chosen for their good temperament and are suitable for anyone from children of school age to seniors” (Guide Dogs, 2021). In April 2021, Seeing Eye Dogs Australia ran a story on their website about Ollie and his guide dog Sadie. At 14 years old, Ollie was the youngest person to be matched with a guide dog from Seeing Eye Dogs. The article flags a “change of thinking around age and Seeing Eye Dogs” and continues: Being matched with a Seeing Eye Dog is quite exciting for our clients, but it’s also a serious commitment to ensure the match is successful. In the past we have traditionally

Guide dogs for adolescents Page 2 of 6 OFFICIAL Page 132 of 153

FOI 24/25-0473 Focussed Response DOCUMENT 9 OFFICIAL For Internal Use Only matched Seeing Eye Dogs with clients over the age of 18, but as we continue to evolve as an organisation, we’re looking at expanding who we work with. Matching a Seeing Eye Dog with a handler comes down to a number of factors. Ollie has strong orientation and mobility skills and is committed to developing his skills as a dog handler and we’re confident the match will be successful. Ollie and Sadie are an exciting match for Seeing Eye Dogs. By the time Ollie finishes school, he’ll be an experienced Seeing Eye Dog handler which will provide added independence as he moves into further education or employment and we’re excited about replicating that with other young people in the future (Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, 2021). Seeing Eye Dogs Australia are also running camps for teenagers 12 to 18 years old to, “help young participants understand what is required to work with a Seeing Eye Dog and see if this is the best fit for their needs. The program will also help improve independence, orientation and mobility skills” (Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, 2023). VisAbility Tasmania (n.d.) also offers a guide dog introduction camp for teenagers. 4. Benefits and risks

4.1 Benefits and positive outcomes Benefits of guide dogs for adolescents are unclear. We found no studies showing evidence of efficacy for adolescents. Anecdotal evidence of improvements to mobility and quality of life are described online in news articles and testimonials (for example, Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, 2021; Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, 2023). A recent systematic review from Lindsay and Thiyagara (2021) examines the outcomes of service dog use for children and adolescents under 18 years old. They consider service dog use broadly to include guide dogs, mobility assistance dogs, hearing dogs, diabetes alert dogs and emotional support dogs. Only two articles specifically investigating guide dog use for young people were included for review and both were descriptive qualitative studies with the lowest level of evidence (Gavrok et al, 2018; Worth et al, 2013). Worth et al (2013) recounts the experience of visually impaired 16 – 25 year olds, based on an unavailable PhD thesis from 2009. Benefits described by participants include: • less reliance on spatial memory as they don’t need to remember specific details of the environment like position of lamp-posts and telephone boxes • improved social relations with people in public.

These results were not presented systematically and it was not reported which young people or how many of them experienced any particular benefit.

Guide dogs for adolescents Page 3 of 6 OFFICIAL Page 133 of 153

FOI 24/25-0473 Focussed Response DOCUMENT 9 OFFICIAL For Internal Use Only Gavrok et al (2018) is a small-sample interview-based study of participants in a guide dog introduction camp for visually impaired 12 – 18 year olds. Four adolescents (13, 13, 15 and 18 years old) participated in the interviews along with parents and camp instructors. The aim of the study was to “explore expectations regarding benefits/challenges that adolescents could experience from a guide dog” (Gavrok et al, 2018, p.19). The authors find that participants, their parents and the instructors believe the use of a guide dog will assist them or their children with mobility, safety, confidence, independence, and social interaction. The authors’ discussion notes these potential benefits while considering reasons the effect might not be what the study participants assume. They note, for example, that benefits in mobility may not be immediately achieved as younger people would likely require support from their parents. A parent acting as facilitator could mean “the mobility benefits provided by a facilitated guide dog would be equivalent to what a parent could provide alone, therefore rendering the dog redundant” (2018, p.20). The authors conclude by reconceptualising the role of the guide dog: adolescents are unlikely to receive some of these benefits due to constraints in their physical abilities and capacity to be responsible for their dog. While these constraints currently render adolescents ineligible to receive a guide dog, we propose a revised facilitated service dog model, in which dogs trained to provide support, but not necessarily to guide, are able to benefit adolescent owners in many critical ways, while also helping to prepare them for when they are able to receive a fully trained guide dog (Gavrok et al, 2018, p.26). So, while Gavrok et al expect benefits from adolescent’s use of guide dogs, they argue that the benefits are most likely to be achieved if the animal is not thought of as a guide dog. This suggestion is anticipated by the idea of a ‘visual companion dog’ for young children: Children’s Visual Companion Dogs (CVCD) are building bridges to independence and mobility for blind youth and their families. These life changing dogs increase confidence, self-esteem and stability, and they improve posture, gait and pace for blind and low- vision children while offering a unique and innovative means of travel (OccuPaws Guide Dog Association, n.d.). The visual companion dog has been described in a single small-sample interview study. The author notes that the visual companion dog is not a guide dog as “children’s visual companion dogs are trained and used as part of a unit or triad that includes the parent, the child, and the dog” (Tellesfon, 2012, p.306). The visual companion dog is a capacity building support aimed to teach the child orientation and mobility skills as the adults gradually releases control of the situation to the child. The strategy is used for visually impaired children as young as 3. There is more substantial evidence available for younger people’s use of service dogs in general. Most of the studies reviewed by Lindsay and Thiyagara (2020) describe a benefit in at least some area such as mobility, safety, physical or mental health, quality of life, self- confidence, social interaction or independence.

Guide dogs for adolescents Page 4 of 6 OFFICIAL Page 134 of 153

FOI 24/25-0473 Focussed Response DOCUMENT 9 OFFICIAL For Internal Use Only 4.2 Risks and negative outcomes Gavrok et al state that providers have “sound reasons” for not matching guide dogs to younger adolescents. These reasons are “concerns surrounding an adolescent’s ability to ensure a dog’s well-being, as they may have lower levels of maturity, responsibility, and ability to ensure the care and safety of their dog and themselves” (2018, p.19). However, their reference for this claim is an article discussing assistance dogs for children with developmental disabilities and may not translate to the effects of guide dogs for visually impaired adolescents. In Worth (2013), having a guide dog is seen by the participants as a sign of maturity. However, as guide dogs may lead to unprompted social interaction, the dog can often draw unwanted attention. This may be a risk for younger adolescents travelling unaccompanied. Lindsay and Thiyagara (2021) note some challenges of younger people’s use of service dogs in general. These include: • time spent caring for the dog • associated costs • child inadvertently hurting the dog • effect of child’s maturity on the service dog’s performance • allergies • the dog’s behaviour • public access issues and stigma.

  1. References Gravrok, J., Howell, T., Bendrups, D., & Bennett, P. (2018). Adapting the traditional guide dog model to enable vision-impaired adolescents to thrive. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 24, 19-26. Guide Dogs UK. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/faqs/guide- dogs/ Guide Dogs. (2021). Health Direct. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/guide-dogs Guide Dog Users, Inc. (2020). GDUI School Surveys. https://guidedogusersinc.org/resources/gdui-school-survey/ Lindsay, S., & Thiyagarajah, K. (2021). The impact of service dogs on children, youth and their families: A systematic review. Disability and Health Journal, 14(3), 101012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2020.101012 OccuPaws Guide Dog Association. (n.d.). Visual Companion Dog. https://occupaws.org/programs/childrens-visual-companion-dog/

Guide dogs for adolescents Page 5 of 6 OFFICIAL Page 135 of 153

FOI 24/25-0473 Focussed Response DOCUMENT 9 OFFICIAL For Internal Use Only Seeing Eye Dogs Australia. (2021). Puppy love: Youngest person to ever receive Seeing Eye Dog finally meets his match. Vision Australia. https://seda.visionaustralia.org/news/ollie- and-sadie-match Seeing Eye Dogs Australia. (2023). Innovative Youth Camp Breaking Barriers. Vision Australia. https://seda.visionaustralia.org/news/2023-01-19/innovative-youth-camp- breaking-barriers Tellefson, M. J. (2012). A Perspective on Teaching Early Harness Travel to Young Blind Children Using Children’s Visual Companion Dogs. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 106(5), 306–312. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X1210600507 VisAbility Tasmania. (n.d.). Test Drive a Guide Dog. https://www.visabilitytas.com.au/latest- news/mobility-and-independence-youth-test-drive-a-guide-dog/ Walther, S., Yamamoto, M., Thigpen, A. P., Garcia, A., Willits, N. H., & Hart, L. A. (2017). Assistance Dogs: Historic Patterns and Roles of Dogs Placed by ADI or IGDF Accredited Facilities and by Non-Accredited U.S. Facilities. Frontiers in veterinary science, 4, 1. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2017.00001 Worth, N. (2013). Visual Impairment in the City: Young People’s Social Strategies for Independent Mobility. Urban Studies, 50(3), 574–586. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098012468898

Guide dogs for adolescents Page 6 of 6 OFFICIAL Page 136 of 153