Learning with Pleasure
Core Values
Authenticity
the quality of being your real self
Integrity
honesty, good ethics, and strong moral principles
Perseverance
persistence despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Respect
regard for the feelings, wishes, and rights of others.
Unique Tailored Services
Developmental Education Therapy Support (Skills development)
Positive Behaviour Support
Complementary therapy approaches including Equine Facilitated Learning, Art, CBT, DBT & Food coaching
Coaching and Mentoring - allied health (clinical supervision) and business managers
Business consultancy - projects and business support
Contact Affinity EFL for a free consultation
Child Safe Environment.
Affinity EFL and its employees have a strong commitment to child safety and in establishing and maintaining child safe and child friendly environments.
We support the rights of children and vulnerable persons in our care and will act without hesitation to ensure a safe environment is always maintained.
We aim to create a safe and friendly environment where all children and young people are respected, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.
IMPORTANT UPDATE - NDIS Funded therapy services
Affinity EFL’s equine facilitated learning and other complementary therapies can be funded under NDIS - Capacity Building - Independent Daily Living because sessions are developed, tailored, and aligned with NDIS skills development goals, and delivered by a qualified Developmental Educator.
If you are receiving behaviour support through Affinity EFL, your practitioner may also recommend skills based learning with the horses or through therapeutic art sessions depending on strategies recommended in your behaviour support plan.
Rest assured, if you are seeking programs with animals and art/craft programs from other service providers that are leisure / recreation options, they can be accessed using core funding (Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation) at the NDIS rates outlined in the ‘NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits’ guidelines if the program is not run by a qualified therapist.
What is the difference between animal-assisted therapy and animal therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy: therapy delivered by an appropriate therapist who uses an animal as a tool to achieve therapeutic outcomes. This is a goal-direct, structured intervention where the animal assists engagement in therapy (the NDIA says animals used “as therapy tools, just like a board game, Lego, or a swing”). Animal-assisted therapy can be an NDIS support. Apologies to any animals reading this that are offended at being referred to as a ‘therapy tool’.
Animal therapy: where a person simply has a positive experience playing with puppies or riding a horse or any animal. This is not an NDIS support.
Interestingly, the NDIS clarified that even when the service provider is an allied health professional, it’s the way that the therapy service is delivered that differentiates between animal therapy and animal-assisted therapy. If a qualified therapist delivers an animal-based support that is simply a positive experience for the person, rather than a structured therapeutic intervention, it still would be considered animal therapy. It’s the details of the service itself that matters - not who is delivering it.
Rob Woolley 13/01/2025, teamdsc.com.au/resources/animal-assisted-therapy-v-animal-therapy
