Olympian 'thrilled' at zoo's SEND space
Nicola Haseler/BBCParents and teachers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have welcomed a zoo's new "inclusive" facility.
Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire believes its education centre is the first of its kind in a zoological setting.
Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford, whose son is autistic and often visits the park, said his family was "thrilled" about the unit.
"When children are feeling overwhelmed, and things are becoming quite difficult for them, to have a safe space that you can come to is hugely important," he said.
"Our son comes here and does the 'zookeeper for a day'. He gets the interaction with the animals, and he's absolutely buzzing for it.
"So having a place for children to come, especially with schools, and have that understanding and interaction, it is really brilliant."
DJ McLaren/BBCChildren were visiting the unit from Daventry Hill School in Northamptonshire, which caters for children with significant cognitive needs
"Having a space that is purpose-built for them is really helpful - It reduces anxieties," said assistant head Hannah Caswell.
"When you're travelling somewhere, you haven't got to worry their needs and preferences aren't going to be accepted.
"You've got somewhere really safe for them to come and have an experience," she added.
She said elements such as SEND symbols and a changing places bathroom helped her pupils.
"I'm really hoping that more facilities will end up having purpose-built spaces like this, so everybody can access wonderful experiences," she said.
Nicola Haseler/BBCWoburn's head of education, Natasha Kyle, said they came up with the idea after special needs days became "really popular".
"We almost couldn't keep up with demand. There's such a deprivation for these types of facilities, and so we wanted to design an inclusive classroom," she said.
Their zones include a quiet corner for stories, an arts and crafts area "where the children can be messy", an artefact zone and a food preparation area.
"It was really important that we had a height-adjustable sink for any children or young people who might be in wheelchairs," she added.
DJ McLaren/BBCKyle added: "The next generation of conservationists, zookeepers, [and] behaviourists might have additional needs.
"And if they're not feeling welcome and included in a place like a zoo, then they're not going to be able to engage with nature.
"This is all about removing those barriers and getting the next generation ready to carry on our conservation work," she said.
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