SEN Holidays Provision (Respite programme)
Respite care may be generally available to carers to give them a break from their caring responsibilities. Respite can be requested for the school/college holiday so it is worth asking your local authority if you can access a holiday respite service either for your son or daughter.  You can do an assessment with your local authority to access funding.

At Lower Bush Alpacas we offer respite care that can be a from as little as 2 hours up to 5 hours throughout the holiday period. All our adult staff are DBS checked and used to being around people with SEN. We have a safe secure environment where children can safely interact with our alpacas and enjoy some outdoor and indoor activities. We also offer the opportunity to learn a little about our alpacas and all their husbandry needs. Being in small groups we can focus on everyone making sure we meet their individual needs and their time with us. Which we hope by the end of their visit will leave them wanting to return.  

Why not book one of our SEN friendly experiences on the farm, 'Meet the Alpacas' or 'Picnic with Alpacas' to come visit us before hand and get a feel for are farm and what we have to offer and chat to one of the team about our holiday provision.  Holiday Provision will be bookable online by clicking Make a Booking at the top of the page. If unavailable you can email us on below email. 

You can also contact us via lowerbushalpacas@hotmail.com

Nurture Group Visits at Lower Bush Alpacas
Nurture Group visits are perfect for small groups of children/young people who would benefit from a more of a personal feel. We work alongside many organizations including The National Autistic Society, Maidstone and Malling Alternative, Sir Thomas Aveling School, City of Rochester School - to name a few. We cater the sessions to your needs - whether it’s a one-off visit treating your children to a well-earned reward, or you are looking for a way to enhance their learning and well-being with a block booking. For example – The City of Rochester School visit us regularly with small groups of 5 children. They book up 6 week block visits that run along side term time so the children have time to bond with our wonderful alpacas and get involved with different tasks each week. Some children may spend a few weeks just watching them and learning their behavior while others are keen to get stuck in with tasks straightaway. During the 6 weeks, it is wonderful to watch their confidence grow and by the end of it they always want to come back. As a small family run business, we can offer a friendly and flexible approach, always considering individuals different needs. With fluffy alpacas by our side, it’s easy to make sure everyone is having a lovely time. When on the farm, you could participate in… watching, feeding, petting, learning, communicating, life skills, arts & crafts, fleece preparation, felt demonstrations and lots of seasonal events. Farm jobs – sweeping, hay filling, raking leaves, preparing feed, poo picking, filling water, lots of smiles, laughs and generally happy faces. We even treat the children to a little alpaca walk on week 6.How long do the sessions last? Usually they last an hour, some like to come for 45 minutes others arrange for 1.5 hours which sometimes includes bringing a snack or lunch. Tea, coffee is also available.

What you can expect from us
Friendly and knowledgeable members of staff, Well-mannered alpacas, Toilet and handwashing facilities/hand-gel, Tea and coffee for adults. An undercover picnic area and place to store bags. A fun and enjoyable experience.

What we expect from you
Children and adults dressed appropriately for outdoor activities. Adults who are happy to handle an alpaca if needed. Good ratio of adults to children to ensure full supervision of children during the experience. At least one member of staff who is first aid trained. Parking - We only have a small car park so please bear this in mind when arranging transport. A full-sized coach will not fit but 2 or 3 minibuses should be fine. Weather - This is an outdoor experience so please be prepared for all weathers and possibly getting cold, wet and muddy. We do have small undercover areas for the workshop / lunch, but they are still open to the elements at some sides. If the weather is extremely bad, we may have to cancel/re-arrange at short notice. Health and Safety - We are fully insured and can provide a copy of our own risk assessment if needed. You are also welcome to come along and do a site visit before the trip if needed – please get in touch to arrange. We take health and safety very seriously and will give clear instructions on how to interact with our alpaca safely. However, as with any activity involving animals, there is still an element of risk and unpredictability. It is your responsibility to supervise the children during this visit and ensure their behavior does not endanger themselves. We reserve the right to amend the experience if deemed necessary for the safety and wellbeing of both visitors and alpacas.

Booking - To book a visit to us please email - lowerbushalpacas@hotmail.com in the first instance to discuss dates, requirements, and cost. We are also more than happy to consider a bespoke experience if these experiences don’t quite fit your requirements.