Animals – Wellbeing and Engagement

Risk and incident management

Schools are encouraged to use a risk register to identify, document, and manage or control risks when implementing a wellbeing or engagement animal-assisted program. This will help define roles and responsibilities for the program and ensure the animal is appropriately trained and cared for. A risk register template for wellbeing and engagement animals can be found in the Resources tab. For more information, refer to the department’s Risk Management policy

Supervision

Wellbeing and engagement animals must be appropriately supervised to ensure the safety of school students and staff, as well as their own safety. Schools must ensure:

• that when an animal is not housed in an animal enclosure (for example, in a chicken coop, stable or hutch), it must be supervised at all times
• that students must be educated on how to behave appropriately around the animal/s both for their safety and the animal’s. This includes instruction on how to interact with the animal when it is sleeping, eating and toileting.

Risk management planning

Staff must take reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable risks of harm to students.

Prior to the commencement of the wellbeing and engagement animal-assisted program, the school is encouraged to use a risk register. This register may then be reviewed throughout the program’s delivery, and where required, amended or updated to ensure all risks are captured.

Responsibilities and processes for managing risks must be communicated to all staff involved in the program.

A risk register template for wellbeing and engagement animals is available on the Resources tab.

Incident management

When faced with an emergency or other incident, for example, staff or student injury, animal injury, or unsafe student behaviour, schools must follow the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) policy and guidelines.