Kai and the animals

The wind smells of freshly mown cornfields. Mighty trees stretch up into the sky. Everything grows so green that the small courtyard is barely visible from the road. Wild ivy entwines the house. Anyone who opens the garden door to the huge property is greeted by Otto. The tiny dog barks like a big one. His mate is a Dalmatian and wags his tail calmly. And that is by no means all that the group home has to offer. There is clucking, whining, scratching and neighing all around the farm - a facility run by Bethel's youth welfare organisation in Lower Saxony with an unmistakably animal-based educational approach.

Kai lives here together with three other children and young people. Kai is eleven years old and says: "Everything is just fine. And the animals are great." Kai was not even three years old when he was admitted to the Bethel residential group. "He needed a lot of attention and security. He had to be encouraged to learn to walk and speak better. And it was a long road before Kai was able to sleep through the night with peace of mind," says Andrea Hohmann.

The educator with additional training in animal-assisted pedagogy lives and works on the small farm. All the staff in the residential group are always there for the children. They give them a sense of security and closeness. They make sure the children get to school on time, encourage them and cook. They organise excursions. They keep in touch with the youth welfare office. After all these years, they are simply family to the children. A family that laughs, praises, comforts and sometimes scolds. Then there are the animals. "They don't care at all whether a child lies, does well or badly at school or how messy their room looks. Animals always give their affection without reservation. And that's good for all children," Andrea Hohmann is convinced.

Children who live in youth welfare centres usually have a lot behind them. For a variety of reasons, their mothers and fathers have not been able to look after them reliably. Some children have been neglected, others have experienced violence. This makes it all the more important for them to be able to grow up in a safe place with reliable relationships. Animals can also be used for therapeutic purposes, as they appeal to a particular emotional level. They help children to overcome trauma.

The concept works. Kai, who still needed a lot of support in kindergarten, now goes to a grammar school. He has good friends. He laughs and plays happily. The other children and young people in the Bethel residential community also feel at home. For them, the donkeys, ponies, horses and alpacas, the chickens, ducks, cats and tortoises are simply part of the family. Kai only has problems with Viola, the stubborn goat. The dogs are his favourite anyway. The Dalmatian is allowed to sleep in Kai's room. In front of the bed! Little Otto even manages to sneak under the duvet sometimes. But he's not allowed to bark. What's the point - there's no danger.

Text: Heike Lepkojis | Photo: Thomas Richter