Therapy Dogs Nationwide (TDN)

National charity providing free volunteer-led therapy dog visits to schools, hospitals and other settings, including the Paws & Read literacy scheme

Who It’s For: Children and young people of all ages across the UK, including those in mainstream, SEN, primary and secondary schools — accessed through the school or setting rather than direct family self-referral. Particularly suited to children who are anxious, have additional needs, or could benefit from a calm, focused activity like reading to a dog.

What They Offer: TDN is a volunteer-run national charity in which dog owners take their own temperament-assessed dogs into schools, hospitals, care homes and other community settings to provide comfort, distraction and stimulation. Their Paws & Read scheme places dogs with their volunteer handlers into primary, junior, high and SEN schools, working closely with teachers and parents to encourage children to interact with the dog by reading aloud to them. Their dogs have also been shown to help special needs and autistic children and adults by giving focus and providing a calming environment.

Support Includes:

• The Paws & Read scheme — children build reading confidence and communication skills by reading aloud to a calm, friendly dog
• Regular visits from a TDN volunteer and dog to a child’s school on an ongoing basis
• Support for children with additional needs, including autism, through calm, focused interaction with a therapy dog
• Visits to hospitals and hospices, offering comfort and distraction to children and families during difficult times

Referral / Access: This is a free service provided by volunteers — there’s no charge to the school, family or setting. A school or other establishment requests a visit directly via the “Request Visit” option on the TDN website; TDN then works to match a suitable volunteer and dog in the local area, depending on volunteer availability. Parents wanting this for their child can suggest their school get in touch with TDN directly.

Why This Matters: For a child who finds reading aloud daunting, or who struggles to settle in a busy classroom, a regular visit from a calm, friendly dog can turn something stressful into something they look forward to. It’s a small, gentle form of support — but for many children it makes a real difference to their confidence, and it costs families nothing.