Care farming is the therapeutic use of farming practices. Service users regularly attend these care farm as part of a structured care, rehabilitation, or special educational programme. Service users vary hugely, from older people living with dementia, to children and adults with learning disabilities, autism, depression, or mental ill health. Care farms offer a range of farming-related activities including care of livestock, growing crops and vegetables, horticulture, and land management. The activities result in proven improvements to mental and physical health, increased self-confidence, and self-worth, reduced social isolation and for many, care farming changes their lives.
This film is the first in a series that our Growing Care Farming team have created and contains interviews with service users, farmers, families, and teachers, all talking about the impact that care farming has on theirs, and many other people’s lives. The videos demonstrate how care farming is a highly effective service for people living with a defined need, and how it can help improve quality of life for people. During these uncertain times, care farms have proved a lifeline for many, but have also been dearly missed by those who are not able to attend due to lockdown restrictions.
Please continue to share our work far and wide, we want this film to be seen, and have an impact on as many people as possible.
#GCFforMentalHealthandWellbeing
Growing Care Farming is part of the Government’s Children & Nature programme and is delivered by Social Farms & Gardens, in partnership with Thrive. GCF will transform the scale of the care farming sector across England through the provision of advocacy, training and resources to create more opportunities for children and adults with a defined need to benefit from the bespoke health, care and educational services provided on care farms.
