Outdoor Animal-Assisted Therapy Services - OATS

Outdoor Animal-Assisted Therapy Services - OATS Occupational Therapy services facilitated by animals, in a rural environment, surrounded by nature.

๐Ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐€๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ-๐€๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐’๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ:A nurturing, empowering and confidence-building group for child...
10/05/2026

๐Ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐€๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ-๐€๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐’๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ:
A nurturing, empowering and confidence-building group for children and young people who benefit from a different approach. This group is for anyone who needs a confidence boost, a reminder of their strengths and abilities, and to learn supportive strategies that empower them to thrive both in and beyond the group setting.

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐š ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐  ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก:
- Low self-belief or negative view of self
- Difficulties regulating emotions
- Social anxiety / feel shy in big groups
- Low mood / motivation
- Difficulties engaging in school or other community activities

๐Ž๐€๐“๐’ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉs ๐š๐ข๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐  ๐ฉ๐ž๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ:
- Build self-esteem, confidence and a positive sense of self
- Develop useful self-regulation and coping strategies
- Learn problem-solving skills with animals and nature
- Strengthen independence and autonomy
- Create positive, trusting social connections and a sense of belonging
- Support wellbeing through animal activities and nature-based experiences

๐Ÿพ Designed and led by experienced specialist therapists and therapy assistants.
๐Ÿพ Small group sizes and high staff ratios to ensure everyone's needs are met.
๐Ÿพ Group dynamics carefully nurtured to create an empowering, uplifting and supportive space where everyone feels able and unashamed to be their authentic selves.

๐€๐ ๐ž๐ฌ: 7 - 16
๐‹๐จ๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Billingshurst, West Sussex
๐ƒ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ฌ: SUMMER: 3rd August - 6th August 2026
๐„๐ฆ๐š๐ข๐ฅ: holidaygroup@oats-uk.org.uk for more details

www.oats-uk.org.uk

24/04/2026

When you have the worldโ€™s best job and this is what your morning looks like ๐Ÿ’•

Fresh air and a gentle walk through natureโ€ฆ itโ€™s often the simplest moments that bring the most peace. Weโ€™re so lucky to experience the changing seasons โ€” each one offering its own kind of beauty and calm.

A walk like this isnโ€™t just lovely, itโ€™s powerful. Time in nature can help regulate the nervous system, lift your mood, and set the tone for a positive, grounded day ๐ŸŒฟ

Sometimes, all you need is a quiet path, a bit of sunshine, and a couple goats ๐Ÿ’›

21/04/2026

Thereโ€™s something quietly powerful about spring. ๐ŸŒผ๐Ÿชป๐ŸŒท

The soft return of colour, the gentle warmth in the air, and the way nature reminds usโ€”without urgencyโ€”that growth takes time. Walking through bluebell woods, surrounded by that sea of blue, itโ€™s hard not to slow down, breathe a little deeper, and feel a sense of calm settle in. โ˜€๏ธ๐ŸŒฌ๏ธ๐Ÿƒ

Moments like this are what OATS is all about.๐Ÿ’š

Here, young people arenโ€™t rushed or pressuredโ€”theyโ€™re given space. Space to connect, to build trust, to find confidence in themselves through simple, grounding experiences like walking alongside a pony, feeling the rhythm of each step, and being present in nature. ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒค๏ธ๐ŸŽ

Bluebells only bloom for a short while each year, but they remind us that even after the longest winters, something beautiful can emerge. ๐Ÿชป

At OATS, we hold onto that belief every day ๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿ’™

GrowingTogether

Weโ€™ve been so lucky to have had another pair of incredible occupational therapy students, Lauren and Lisa, join us on pl...
18/04/2026

Weโ€™ve been so lucky to have had another pair of incredible occupational therapy students, Lauren and Lisa, join us on placement ๐Ÿ’›

From day one, they went above and beyondโ€”always offering to help, bringing fresh ideas, and giving their absolute all to everything they did. Their dedication and creativity have truly made a lasting impact.

One of their standout contributions was developing our regulation boards project. They created thoughtful visuals of each animal, helping to show what they might look like when dysregulated and when calm. These boards are such an important tool in helping the children understand body language and learn strategies for self-regulation.

They even went the extra mile (and then some!) by carefully framing every picture with tiny pieces of woodchipโ€”testing just about every glue possible until they found the perfect one! That level of care and determination says it all.

A huge thank you to you bothโ€”weโ€™re so grateful for everything youโ€™ve brought to the team and for the lasting impact you have made on OATS. Wishing you all the best for the future โœจ

And itโ€™s not quite goodbye for Laurenโ€ฆ weโ€™re so excited that sheโ€™ll be staying on as our new therapy assistant! ๐ŸŽ‰

๐ŸŒŸ Behind Every Great Holiday Group is an Incredible Team! ๐ŸŒŸA huge thank you to our amazing staff team who made our Easte...
07/04/2026

๐ŸŒŸ Behind Every Great Holiday Group is an Incredible Team! ๐ŸŒŸ

A huge thank you to our amazing staff team who made our Easter holiday group 2026 such a success!

๐Ÿ’š

From building self-belief to teaching self-regulation strategies and fostering positive social connections, these superstars supported every child with care, passion, and dedication. ๐Ÿ’›

Together, weโ€™ve helped shape a memorable experience that will last well beyond the holiday season. Here's to our teamโ€™s hard work and to each child for stepping out of their comfort zone and learning new skills! ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŒฑ

Swipe right to see Fleur give a visual representation of how we all felt by the end of the week ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

Reaching out to all our local Facebook friends!!Does anyone local to Billingshurst have any access to wood chip / know a...
12/03/2026

Reaching out to all our local Facebook friends!!

Does anyone local to Billingshurst have any access to wood chip / know any tree surgeons who regularly acquire wood chip?

We are seeking a large amount of wood chip for a new carpark project and to make our pathways less muddy.

Please share this post amongst any friends in West Sussex who may be able to help us out!

Thanks for your help!

Jess

We have been SO lucky at OATS recently ๐Ÿ’š๐ŸŒฟA huge, heartfelt thank you to our two incredible occupational therapy students...
24/02/2026

We have been SO lucky at OATS recently ๐Ÿ’š๐ŸŒฟ

A huge, heartfelt thank you to our two incredible occupational therapy students, Lucy and Clare, who have just finished their placement with us at OATS.

The impact theyโ€™ve had has been amazing!

๐Ÿ’š During their placement, Lucy and Clare created our brand new OATS Community Board, carefully researching and evidencing why a sense of belonging and shared responsibility is so important in occupational therapy โ€“ especially for children who are socially isolated. ๐Ÿด๐Ÿ๐Ÿฅ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ•

At OATS, every young person chooses a job role (from feeding the guinea pigs to checking water bowls, or supporting with animal care). That role isnโ€™t just a task โ€“ itโ€™s their meaningful contribution to our community. Clare and Lucy helped us truly embed and evidence why this matters.

๐Ÿ’š They also finished all of our Animal Autism โ€œLevel Upโ€ Boards, enabling our young people to identify each animalโ€™s regulation state and explore what strategies that animal might need. This powerful, indirect approach helps children reflect on their own regulation in a safe, compassionate and engaging way.

๐Ÿ’š And as if that wasnโ€™t enoughโ€ฆ they redesigned our check-in system, replacing plastic cards with beautiful, tactile stones โ€“ much more aligned with our nature-based ethos ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿชจ

Through rain, mud, snow and (a tiny bit) of sunshine, they have worked tirelessly to support our children, care for our animals, and help us grow and strengthen what we offer here at OATS. โ˜€๏ธโ˜”๐ŸŒจ๏ธโ˜”

Clare and Lucy - your professionalism, compassion, research knowledge and sheer hard work have genuinely moved OATS forward. Most importantly, you have made a difference to the lives of the children and young people we support.

We are so proud of everything you have achieved and so grateful for everything youโ€™ve given.
Thank you for becoming such a valued part of our OATS community ๐Ÿ’š

๐Ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐€๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ-๐€๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐„๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ:A nurturing, empowering and confidence-building group for child...
25/01/2026

๐Ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐€๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ-๐€๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐„๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ:
A nurturing, empowering and confidence-building group for children and young people who benefit from a different approach. This group is for anyone who needs a confidence boost, a reminder of their strengths and abilities, and to learn supportive strategies that empower them to thrive both in and beyond the group setting.

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐š ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐  ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก:
- Low self-belief or negative view of self
- Difficulties regulating emotions
- Social anxiety / feel shy in big groups
- Low mood / motivation
- Difficulties engaging in school or other community activities

๐Ž๐€๐“๐’ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉs ๐š๐ข๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐  ๐ฉ๐ž๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ:
- Build self-esteem, confidence and a positive sense of self
- Develop useful self-regulation and coping strategies
- Learn problem-solving skills with animals and nature
- Strengthen independence and autonomy
- Create positive, trusting social connections and a sense of belonging
- Support wellbeing through animal activities and nature-based experiences

๐Ÿพ Designed and led by experienced specialist therapists.

๐Ÿพ Small group sizes and high staff ratios to ensure everyone's needs are met.

๐Ÿพ Group dynamics carefully nurtured to create an empowering, uplifting and supportive space where everyone feels able and unashamed to be their authentic selves.

๐€๐ ๐ž๐ฌ: 7 - 16
๐‹๐จ๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Billingshurst, West Sussex
๐ƒ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ฌ: EASTER: 30th March - 2nd April
SUMMER: 3rd August - 6th August
๐„๐ฆ๐š๐ข๐ฅ: holidaygroup@oats-uk.org.uk for more details

www.oats-uk.org.uk

Outdoor Animal-Assisted Therapeutic Easter Holiday GroupSupporting young people to:- Build self-esteem, confidence and a...
09/01/2026

Outdoor Animal-Assisted Therapeutic Easter Holiday Group

Supporting young people to:
- Build self-esteem, confidence and a positive sense of self
- Develop self-regulation and coping strategies
- Learn problem-solving skills through animals and nature
- Strengthen independence and resilience
- Create positive, trusting social connections
- Support wellbeing through animals and nature-based experiences

Ages: 7 - 16

Dates: 30th March - 2nd April

Email: oats.jc@outlook.com for more details

www.oats-uk.org.uk

16/12/2025

When you build a shelter, and the rabbits promptly sign their seal of approval with a nose kiss out front ๐Ÿ›–๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿ’š

There's something powerful about making something that matters.Today, this young person built a shelter for our rabbits,...
16/12/2025

There's something powerful about making something that matters.

Today, this young person built a shelter for our rabbits, so they can have a safe space to hide when out and about in their garden.

At OATS, self-belief grows gently through care, creativity and connection ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿ’š

(PS, swipe to the end to see a sneak peak of Garfield's skin care routine! ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿผ)

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