“I've seen first-hand the difference that it’s made to these children's lives”: An exploration of the use of dogs in six schools in England and Wales.

Abstract

This thesis is divided into three parts: a major literature review (Part 1), an empirical research paper (Part 2) and a critical appraisal (Part 3). Part 1: Major Literature Review The literature review is comprised of two sections. Part 1a consists of a narrative review, which aims to provide the background context of the therapeutic use of animals by considering the benefits that have been observed in a wide range of settings, including health and education. Following this, Part 1b consists of a systematic review of the literature, which adopts an international perspective to explore how dogs specifically have been used in education settings across the world. Part 2: Empirical Research Paper The research paper in Part 2 details the current study which aims to explore how schools in the UK are currently using dogs to support their pupils. A questionnaire was circulated nationally to recruit schools currently implementing dog-assisted interventions to take part in semi-structured interviews to explore the types of interventions being used in more detail. The methodology, procedure and analysis of the data are presented, and implications of the findings are considered. Part 3: Critical Appraisal The critical appraisal in Part 3 provides an overview of the research process and a reflective and reflexive account of the development of both the research itself and of the researcher. Decisions made throughout the research process are considered and the implications of these discussed