National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

Submission 96

Name: Ruth Cotton

I am the owner of a small business near Canberra that uses Animals and nature- based activities in my work. I am a teacher with more than 30 years’ experience in the ACT education system. I have worked in mainstream, alternative and special education settings. After retiring from teaching, I established Catalyst Living Skills on a small farm near the ACT.

My clients include adults and children who have psychological, behavioral and intellectual difficulties. I am not a therapist but using animals, the environment and classroom activities I teach emotional regulation, mindfulness and problem solving, Clients and their parents report significant changes in clients’ levels of anxiety, behaviour and for clients with NDIS funding success in achieving their NDIS goals.

I believe when evaluating programs, it is important to ensure that they provide some evidence that is measurable to clearly demonstrate that NDIS clients are moving towards achieving their goals. We have recently had an external evaluation that has looked at our program and suggested tools we can use to effectively evaluate our clients’ achievements. It is important that Animal therapies are not dismissed as “ just cuddling cats and patting ponies“ but that the academic as well as the anecdotal assessment of its effectiveness in changing lives is considered

Animal assisted therapies and education are not the answer for all, but they do make a significant contribution to the variety of tools that can help an individual with disabilities reach their full potential. I am concerned that the proposed changes to the NDIS Bill will remove animal assisted learning and therapies from clients NDIS plans denying many an effective and relatively cost effective way for clients to achieve their goals.

I hope the Committee will take all submissions seriously in preparing its report.

Ruth Cotton