Quality Assurance
Policies & Procedures
At Animals in Mind, we create truly unique programs built on an unwavering commitment to the well-being of both our clients and our cherished animals.
Our animals are cherished family members, living in nurturing homes that foster deeper connections and therapeutic outcomes. Thorough behaviour assessments ensure safety and suitability, enabling us to carefully match each animal’s temperament and personality to a client’s unique needs, goals, and preferences.
Our accreditations assure our clients that they are receiving services from a provider committed to the highest ethical and professional standards:
● The Society of Companion Animals (SCAS) Promoting human-animal bond welfare.
● The International Association of Animal Assisted Play Therapists IAAAPT. Specialising in therapeutic play
● AASI (Animal Assisted Services International) Global standard-setter for animal-assisted services. AASI’s stringent membership criteria mean only suitably qualified professionals are admitted.
We are proud full members in:
○ Animal Assisted Education
○ Animal Assisted Activities
○ Collaborative Animal Assisted Therapy
○ Animal Assisted Special Programmes
We are inspected and licensed by West Northampton Council
AiM are members of Social Farms and Gardens and we have achieved their Green Care Quality Kitemark every year since AiM was launched in 2021. This audit covers site and working practices safety, safeguarding, insurance checks, financial stability etc.
‘’The Green Care Quality Mark is a sector-wide quality assurance accreditation for green care providers. The Quality Mark shows that you run a safe, professional organisation and look after the people and animals in your care’’
External Quality Assurance (EQA)
Social Farms & Gardens
Animals in Mind are members of Social Farms and Gardens and we have achieved their Green Care Quality Kitemark every year since AiM was launched in 2021. This audit covers site and working practices safety, safeguarding, insurance checks, financial stability etc.
‘’The Green Care Quality Mark is a sector-wide quality assurance accreditation for green care providers. The Quality Mark shows that you run a safe, professional organisation and look after the people and animals in your care’’
North & West Northamptonshire Council
AQA – Questions Matter
We use AQA’s Unit Award Scheme to record student achievement of our courses.
Safeguarding
We take Safeguarding very seriously and are members of SAFECIC and undergo their rigorous external audit and accreditation annually. We are proud to have achieved the SAFE CIC’s Excellence in Safeguarding Award since AiMs inception in 2021.
We have a variety of safeguarding measures in place, including safer recruitment strategies, enhanced DBS checks and annual safeguarding training for all staff.
Operation Encompass
At Animals in Mind, we are committed and working in partnership with West and North Northamptonshire Councils and Northamptonshire Police to identify and provide appropriate support to any of our pupils who have experienced domestic abuse in their household; nationally this scheme is called Operation Encompass.
Click to read more >>>
Additional Resources
Animal Welfare & Ethics
We pride ourselves on our animal welfare, are not simply a farm that uses the term ‘therapy animal’, all our animals are personally loved pets, who are behaviourally assessed and assured to be safe. Importantly, our animals’ welfare is paramount to what we do and we comply with both the Society of Companion Animals (SCAS) and the IAAAPT’s code of practice for the well-being and ethics around animals assisting in our work.
As of July 2024 all businesses that involve animals with ‘an audience’ are required to obtain an Animal Welfare License under the Animal Welfare Act. This requires a visit by a local authority inspector, who inspect the welfare, housing and environment, nutritional needs, care (including preventative medicines), veterinary treatments, cleanliness, including disease control and health and safety. Animals in Mind have undertaken and achieved this licence since inception (long before it became a legal requirement).
Health & Safety
Working with animals has risks to participants and these are managed through thorough health and safety policies and procedures. At AiM, we incorporate individualised risk/benefits assessments for every client, we carry out task/ activity risk-assessments and location based risk-assessments.
Staff are qualified first aiders (incl Paediatric First Aid) and trained in relevant forest school modules, such as safe use of fires, cooking by the fire and food hygiene for your assurance for children taking part in nature based outdoor education.
– Tigerlily Emergency and Full Paediatric First Aid Certificate
– Public Liability of £5m (Details Available on Request)
Additional Policies
Additional policies and proceedures that enhance safety and care are listed below.
Website Policies:
These are available upon request:
-
- Health and Safety Policy
- COSHH
- Fire Safety
- Preventing Ill Health From Animal Contact Infection and Zoonosis Control
- Risk-Assessment Policy
- Manual Handling Policy
- Complaints
- Admissions and Registration
- Attendance Policy
- Data Retention & Disposal Policy