Does AIA hold Public Liability Insurance?
Yes we are fully insured.
Can anyone attend programs and workshops? Do you have to be an NDIS participant?
Anyone can attend our programs and workshops, we run fully inclusive programs and accept clients from all walks of life. You do not have to be an NDIS participant to attend our programs.
Our pricing structure remains the same regardless of funding access.
Some of our workshops we may advertise for particular age groups or people such as 'kids workshops' however we also run similar workshops for adults alike.
Do the facilitators have certifications, blue cards and yellow cards?
Yes - all of the facilitators have current blue cards (working with children check), yellow card (disability/vulnerable persons clearance), and have completed numerous Coaching, NDIS, Disability and Mental Health training and certifications. All of our facilitators also stay up to date with their First Aid and CPR certification.
Is Animal Instincts Australia a NDIS Registered Provider?
AIA works as an unregistered NDIS provider. This means that we can service NDIS participants that are Self or Plan Managed, but we cannot invoice to NDIA Agency managed participants. We can also take on clients who privately fund.
AIA will soon become a registered provider (in progress)
What budget from my NDIS can you bill to?
There are a number of line items that are appropriate for our services - you will see these on our intake form when you send it through.
We can include specific line items on your invoices at your request.
How do I book in?
Simply go to 'Intake form' on our website and fill in an intake form for you/your client/family member and we'll get in touch ASAP.
Must I have previous experience with animals/equines to attend?
NO! In fact many of our participants haven't ever been up close to many farm animals or horses in the past and our programs are a first for them. We teach you everything you need to know with safe well trained animals. Our facilitators are highly experienced with animals and in the disability/mental health sectors so you are in safe knowledgeable hands.
Are there any age restrictions on the programs?
No! Our team have extensive experience with both adults and children and we have no restrictions on age in our programs. In our small group programs we do prefer to keep the younger children within their own age group where possible (under 12's). Please keep in mind our minimum booking for Individual programs is 1 hour.
I have myself and 2 friends interested in attending a program - can we form a group of 3 ourselves?
We will do our best to accommodate friendship groups where possible. As our program also facilitates social interactions and engagement we can ensure you and your mates continue in a group together if you would like to stick together. Part of the programs here are to have fun as well as personal development so we love seeing you enjoy yourself with your animal loving friends.
I'm a bit nervous about being around certain animals!
That's ok! We have a number of horses, dogs, guinea pigs, cats and farm animals, as well as we foster animals through local rescue organisations so there are a number of different animals that you can interact with and it's your choice what animals you do or don't interact with. Our facilitators are highly experienced in choosing the correct animal for each participant to build their confidence step by step so we won't overwhelm you with something that frightens you. We also work with our participants in 'protected contact' so you don't actually have to be right in there with them to begin with.
Are the animals trained?
For the most part the animals at AIA have had a lot of training and socialisation. Our Lead Facilitator holds many qualifications/certificates in equine and canine training and has spent her whole life working with animals and people. We do foster some animals from local rescues so some animals arrive here without as much training or socialisation - that is why they are here!
We provide the perfect environment for these animals to learn and grow, just like our participants do. We also teach you about how to adjust your energy and create calm for the animals that need a little more help, whilst we have some animals here that will create calm for you. Hayley (Director) is also a recognised Locum Trainer/Assessor for Therapy Dogs Australia and holds many qualifications in animal training and behaviour.
I get nervous in groups and don't like to leave my house much...how can you help?
We can easily bring one of our friendly dogs or small animals to you! We have a wonderful facilitator who has lots of experience and can bring a dog to your home. With time as you feel comfortable she can even accompany you on a dog walk from your home or pick you up and take you to a local park to interact with the dog, and then drop you home.
Our Animal or Canine Interactions can be catered to suit your requirements. We also provide Individual sessions on site if you feel you are ready to move on from home visits.
Is there a time frame I need to commit to? Or any lock in contracts?
We encourage our participants to stick to a regular weekly or fortnightly routine to get the best benefits from our programs, however we have no lock in contracts so you can continue to attend for as long or as little as you like.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
We run from our own private property on the outskirts of Toowoomba and our training areas are suitable for wheelchairs or participants with limited mobility. Sometimes during extremely wet weather the venue becomes unsuitable for wheelchairs however we will let you know if this situation arises.
Is the venue an 'all weather' venue?
YES! Our sessions run rain, hail or shine! We have an undercover training area and a few indoor training areas and rooms. We run sessions is most weather events however if sessions are canceled for any reason we will send out text messages and emails to you and your contacts as soon as we can. Our 'off site' sessions generally run in any weather unless we advise otherwise.
Is there horse riding involved?
At this stage Hayley is no longer offering mounted programs. All sessions with our horses are unmounted and 'on the ground'.
What should I wear? And what should I bring?
We encourage our participants to wear long pants and sun safe clothing, including bringing a hat/sunglasses as required and long sleeve shirt so that they avoid sunburn.
All participants MUST wear closed in footwear ie; joggers, boots etc.
Please bring a water bottle.
Are you Allied Health workers or therapists?
There is only one qualified counsellor on staff currently. Our other facilitators have training and certifications in NDIS, coaching, disability and mental health and work under our Lead Facilitator's supervision.
Do I get a choice of what animals I work with? Can I work with just dogs or just horses?
If you attend a 1:1 session you can request to work with specific types of animals and we can absolutely accommodate that.
We have animals of all sizes and 'animal-analities' so we can find what fits your needs at the time so that you have a positive experience.
If you attend a group session, you will need to be somewhat flexible for the other participants needs also, however we strive to ensure ALL client needs and requirements are attended to throughout a session.
Should I bring a Support Worker? Is it necessary? And can I if I wish to?
Whilst we encourage our clients to be independent where possible, we respect that many people would like the extra support and comfort that their SW or carer can offer, especially in situations where you have a great reliable SW that you've developed a trusting relationship with.
However if you are already quite independent and would rather attend your booking without a SW that is certainly something that we are often able to facilitate. Many clients start off with bringing a SW along for the first few sessions until they feel comfortable with us, and then decide if they are happy to go it alone after that. Feel free to discuss this in your intake meeting.
Please note we are not support workers ourselves and are unable to provide services such as lifting, providing personal care support or administering medication. In some group sessions, it is more appropriate for your support worker to attend alongside you.
What about COVID-19?
Animal Instincts Australia follows all Government and Mandatory rules, regulations and restrictions. As most of our sessions operate in an outdoors environment and in very small groups we are rarely affected by closures and lock downs HOWEVER please stay in touch with us and follow our Social Media pages for any updates. We always recommend you adhere to physical distancing as per Government guidelines.
Please advise prior to arrival if
Can I arrange a site visit or meet and greet?
Unfortunately due to strict confidentiality and privacy for our clients we do not offer on site visits or meetings.
If you like to attend a session as a client please fill out an Intake Form and we'll be in touch with you to advise of session availability.
If you'd like more information about our services please email us.
Parking at our venues
Please note that due to the nature of farms and occasional animals in our surrounding parking areas all drivers onto the properties park at their own risk. Animal Instincts Australia and management assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY for loss or damage to parked vehicles on the property.
If you are concerned about your vehicle, please park out the front of the property on the grassed areas BEFORE driving through the front gate. Support Workers/Drivers are welcome to drive the participant to meet the coach inside the gate (near "YARDS" gate), and then drive back to park out to the front of the property.
I'm a provider/therapist/worker in the industry and would like to learn how to run an Animal or Equine Assisted Business Model - can you help?
Due to Hayley's extensive and vast knowledge in the industry, she now offers Business Coaching. Please go to the main menu and click on 'Business Coaching for the Animal Assisted Services Industry"
Yes we are fully insured.
Can anyone attend programs and workshops? Do you have to be an NDIS participant?
Anyone can attend our programs and workshops, we run fully inclusive programs and accept clients from all walks of life. You do not have to be an NDIS participant to attend our programs.
Our pricing structure remains the same regardless of funding access.
Some of our workshops we may advertise for particular age groups or people such as 'kids workshops' however we also run similar workshops for adults alike.
Do the facilitators have certifications, blue cards and yellow cards?
Yes - all of the facilitators have current blue cards (working with children check), yellow card (disability/vulnerable persons clearance), and have completed numerous Coaching, NDIS, Disability and Mental Health training and certifications. All of our facilitators also stay up to date with their First Aid and CPR certification.
Is Animal Instincts Australia a NDIS Registered Provider?
AIA works as an unregistered NDIS provider. This means that we can service NDIS participants that are Self or Plan Managed, but we cannot invoice to NDIA Agency managed participants. We can also take on clients who privately fund.
AIA will soon become a registered provider (in progress)
What budget from my NDIS can you bill to?
There are a number of line items that are appropriate for our services - you will see these on our intake form when you send it through.
We can include specific line items on your invoices at your request.
How do I book in?
Simply go to 'Intake form' on our website and fill in an intake form for you/your client/family member and we'll get in touch ASAP.
Must I have previous experience with animals/equines to attend?
NO! In fact many of our participants haven't ever been up close to many farm animals or horses in the past and our programs are a first for them. We teach you everything you need to know with safe well trained animals. Our facilitators are highly experienced with animals and in the disability/mental health sectors so you are in safe knowledgeable hands.
Are there any age restrictions on the programs?
No! Our team have extensive experience with both adults and children and we have no restrictions on age in our programs. In our small group programs we do prefer to keep the younger children within their own age group where possible (under 12's). Please keep in mind our minimum booking for Individual programs is 1 hour.
I have myself and 2 friends interested in attending a program - can we form a group of 3 ourselves?
We will do our best to accommodate friendship groups where possible. As our program also facilitates social interactions and engagement we can ensure you and your mates continue in a group together if you would like to stick together. Part of the programs here are to have fun as well as personal development so we love seeing you enjoy yourself with your animal loving friends.
I'm a bit nervous about being around certain animals!
That's ok! We have a number of horses, dogs, guinea pigs, cats and farm animals, as well as we foster animals through local rescue organisations so there are a number of different animals that you can interact with and it's your choice what animals you do or don't interact with. Our facilitators are highly experienced in choosing the correct animal for each participant to build their confidence step by step so we won't overwhelm you with something that frightens you. We also work with our participants in 'protected contact' so you don't actually have to be right in there with them to begin with.
Are the animals trained?
For the most part the animals at AIA have had a lot of training and socialisation. Our Lead Facilitator holds many qualifications/certificates in equine and canine training and has spent her whole life working with animals and people. We do foster some animals from local rescues so some animals arrive here without as much training or socialisation - that is why they are here!
We provide the perfect environment for these animals to learn and grow, just like our participants do. We also teach you about how to adjust your energy and create calm for the animals that need a little more help, whilst we have some animals here that will create calm for you. Hayley (Director) is also a recognised Locum Trainer/Assessor for Therapy Dogs Australia and holds many qualifications in animal training and behaviour.
I get nervous in groups and don't like to leave my house much...how can you help?
We can easily bring one of our friendly dogs or small animals to you! We have a wonderful facilitator who has lots of experience and can bring a dog to your home. With time as you feel comfortable she can even accompany you on a dog walk from your home or pick you up and take you to a local park to interact with the dog, and then drop you home.
Our Animal or Canine Interactions can be catered to suit your requirements. We also provide Individual sessions on site if you feel you are ready to move on from home visits.
Is there a time frame I need to commit to? Or any lock in contracts?
We encourage our participants to stick to a regular weekly or fortnightly routine to get the best benefits from our programs, however we have no lock in contracts so you can continue to attend for as long or as little as you like.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
We run from our own private property on the outskirts of Toowoomba and our training areas are suitable for wheelchairs or participants with limited mobility. Sometimes during extremely wet weather the venue becomes unsuitable for wheelchairs however we will let you know if this situation arises.
Is the venue an 'all weather' venue?
YES! Our sessions run rain, hail or shine! We have an undercover training area and a few indoor training areas and rooms. We run sessions is most weather events however if sessions are canceled for any reason we will send out text messages and emails to you and your contacts as soon as we can. Our 'off site' sessions generally run in any weather unless we advise otherwise.
Is there horse riding involved?
At this stage Hayley is no longer offering mounted programs. All sessions with our horses are unmounted and 'on the ground'.
What should I wear? And what should I bring?
We encourage our participants to wear long pants and sun safe clothing, including bringing a hat/sunglasses as required and long sleeve shirt so that they avoid sunburn.
All participants MUST wear closed in footwear ie; joggers, boots etc.
Please bring a water bottle.
Are you Allied Health workers or therapists?
There is only one qualified counsellor on staff currently. Our other facilitators have training and certifications in NDIS, coaching, disability and mental health and work under our Lead Facilitator's supervision.
Do I get a choice of what animals I work with? Can I work with just dogs or just horses?
If you attend a 1:1 session you can request to work with specific types of animals and we can absolutely accommodate that.
We have animals of all sizes and 'animal-analities' so we can find what fits your needs at the time so that you have a positive experience.
If you attend a group session, you will need to be somewhat flexible for the other participants needs also, however we strive to ensure ALL client needs and requirements are attended to throughout a session.
Should I bring a Support Worker? Is it necessary? And can I if I wish to?
Whilst we encourage our clients to be independent where possible, we respect that many people would like the extra support and comfort that their SW or carer can offer, especially in situations where you have a great reliable SW that you've developed a trusting relationship with.
However if you are already quite independent and would rather attend your booking without a SW that is certainly something that we are often able to facilitate. Many clients start off with bringing a SW along for the first few sessions until they feel comfortable with us, and then decide if they are happy to go it alone after that. Feel free to discuss this in your intake meeting.
Please note we are not support workers ourselves and are unable to provide services such as lifting, providing personal care support or administering medication. In some group sessions, it is more appropriate for your support worker to attend alongside you.
What about COVID-19?
Animal Instincts Australia follows all Government and Mandatory rules, regulations and restrictions. As most of our sessions operate in an outdoors environment and in very small groups we are rarely affected by closures and lock downs HOWEVER please stay in touch with us and follow our Social Media pages for any updates. We always recommend you adhere to physical distancing as per Government guidelines.
Please advise prior to arrival if
- You or any guests returned from Overseas in the last 14 days
- You or any guests have been in contact with anyone who has returned from Overseas in the last 14 days
- You or any guests have come in contact with someone who has had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis in the last 14 days
- You or any guests have Fever, Cough, Shortness of breath or sore throat
Can I arrange a site visit or meet and greet?
Unfortunately due to strict confidentiality and privacy for our clients we do not offer on site visits or meetings.
If you like to attend a session as a client please fill out an Intake Form and we'll be in touch with you to advise of session availability.
If you'd like more information about our services please email us.
Parking at our venues
Please note that due to the nature of farms and occasional animals in our surrounding parking areas all drivers onto the properties park at their own risk. Animal Instincts Australia and management assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY for loss or damage to parked vehicles on the property.
If you are concerned about your vehicle, please park out the front of the property on the grassed areas BEFORE driving through the front gate. Support Workers/Drivers are welcome to drive the participant to meet the coach inside the gate (near "YARDS" gate), and then drive back to park out to the front of the property.
I'm a provider/therapist/worker in the industry and would like to learn how to run an Animal or Equine Assisted Business Model - can you help?
Due to Hayley's extensive and vast knowledge in the industry, she now offers Business Coaching. Please go to the main menu and click on 'Business Coaching for the Animal Assisted Services Industry"