Positive Change through Positive Engagement

Children who struggle to regulate their emotions have been observed to display improved communication skills and have gained a great deal from the experience of building positive relationships….Not only do individua children benefit, but the whole school community has also enjoyed having (The Baxter Project) on site.

As a wellbeing and safeguarding lead of many years’ experience I cannot overstate the impact of their presence in our school setting and how they have significantly improved the outcomes for so many of our young people.

It has been an extremely worthwhile experience and I would recommend The Baxter Project to other schools who are considering getting involved.

The Baxter Project has become an incredibly effective part of our wellbeing provision as well as an integral part of our school community. (The Baxter Project) has succeeded in engaging and enthusing several students who have failed to respond to other wellbeing initiatives.

We have witnessed significant developments among the pupils who access the provision, both in terms of their emotional wellbeing and their social skills. (The Baxter Project) also informs us, as a school, of the needs and emotions of our young people and thereby help shape the ongoing school based pastoral support.

We at Cardiff West CHS pride ourselves on our commitment to pupil wellbeing and The Baxter Project is an integral part of our pupil support system, as such, I would not hesitate to recommend The Baxter Project to any school that values pupil wellbeing.

The Baxter Project has further enhanced the pastoral care and safeguarding of our most vulnerable students.... The (project) has effectively adapted their sessions to meet the individual needsand experiences of the students in their care and teh feedback from our students and parents has been extremely positive.

We greatly appreciate the way in which it gives children who might otherwise go under the radar, the chance to have their voices heard in a confidential, comfortable environment, with an expert ear (sometimes furry) to guide them.

Discussing a pupil referred to us...
Weekly visits from the team have been the highlight of his week. From the first week we saw a positive change in behaviour, attitude to learning, communication skills and the child's engagement with his peers.

This is now an essential wellbeing intervention at our school and it benefits the children who receive sessions as well as other children around the school. Just being able to see Trixie in a corridor or playground can be enough to change how a child is feeling. I would certainly recommend this to other schools/settings.

Students relish the opportunity to chat, feel listened to, and exercise and to build up a relationship with the dog and the Baxter Project Staff member…. Feedback from the Baxter Project includes a comprehensive report on each student and is extremely useful for planning further pastoral support.

[The Baxter Project] has made a significant impact to our school; they have helped us in our vision to create a culture that champions emotional wellbeing by promoting healthy and positive relationships. Students that they work with to develop strategies to support themselves and others. Having an animal companion helps to remove barriers and lower defences.

[The Baxter Project]has become an integral part of our Wellbeing hub. We enjoy their time with us each week. The therapeutic impact is felt by all. Thank you so much for the support you provide for our pupils.

The Baxter Project, without a doubt, has had, and is continuing to have a positive impact on the learners at OVPS. The sessions are having a glowing impact on our learners in assisting them in not only hardships, self-esteem or challenging behaviour, but increasing their social skills and increasing awareness across the whole school of the importance of well-being and how individuals can be affected in different ways.

The Baxter project has helped so many children here. Archie the dog has been a delight in providing a unique, therapeutic approach in nurturing and supporting pupils. Parents and pupils have made fantastic comments about how the project has improved their wellbeing.

The impact of the project at Roath Park has been huge. Pupils have made strides forward with interpersonal relationships, behaviour and learning due to the project. Some pupils have improved communication skills and as a result are able to express how they feel at an early stage, identifying small concerns which are easier for them to manage and the school to support them.

I would just like to say thank you for allowing us to be involved in the Baxter project this term. We all enjoy Mondays so much! The pupils involved directly with the project have definitely benefitted from the experience as has the wider school.

We are delighted to have [The Baxter Project] working with us and would recommend them unconditionally to any school/ provision that prioritises the wellbeing of their pupils.

The Baxter Project it has quickly become an integral part of our wellbeing provision and is very much enjoyed by students who are assigned to the project in primary and secondary phase of our school. Not only do our students who are assigned to the project look forward to the session, but so do our wider school community!

A huge thank you to The Baxter Project and of course Pippa the dog. The undeniable impact this project has had on our children's ability to regulate their emotions, their behaviour and discuss their feelings has been incredibly beneficial... It has been such a worthwhile and effective intervention and a much-needed addition to our pastoral support for some of our 'hardest to reach' children.

The Baxter Project is a great intervention and very easy to work with, being very flexible and understanding to the school's needs. In addition to this, the formalised feedback provided on the development of the pupils as they progress through the sessions has been excellent. I would recommend The Baxter Project for mainstream provision and am confident the team would be an asset to your existing support network for pupils.