New furry friend employed at Sydney school to ease anxiety

Students in Sydney's west will be joined by a furry friend to help with return to school anxiety.

Yale, a guide dog Labrador, has been trained as a wellbeing dog and is the newest employee at Trinity Catholic Primary School in Kemps Creek.

The therapy dog was brought in to help ease students and teachers back into the new term.

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It's hoped Yale will help relieve any nerves after the past two years of disrupted schooling due to COVID-19.

"We decided to get a dog as part of one of the strategies in our return to school after COVID-19," Principal Cathy Hey said.

"We though it would be really good for the students wellbeing and staff wellbeing in terms of improving attendance and in terms of making people feel good about being at school."

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Yale will be used as part of a "reward system" where students will be able to opt to spend time with him if they're achieving their goals.

Students at the school are already ecstatic about the new employee.

"It's very exciting," one student told 9News.

He will live with one of the teachers but will be brought into school every day to act as a calming influence on students.