SNAP Telephone Helpline
01277 211300
SNAP Email Helpline
[email protected]
SNAP’s Helpline is a member of the Helplines Partnership – the membership body for organisations that provide information, support or advice via phone, email, text or online.
We want you to know we are here to help all our families during this difficult time. Our phone and email Helpline will continue to provide that essential listening ear for parents and carers for both registered and new families.
Our Helpline service is supported by a team of parent advisers who can give advice on a variety of topics. If you feel you would benefit from speaking with an adviser, but they are not immediately available, we can arrange a suitable time for someone to call you back.
Our Helpline is open between 9:00am until 4:00pm Monday to Thursday and 9:00am until 3:00pm on Friday.
SNAP would like to thank The Henry Smith Charity and The National Lottery Community Fund for their support in funding the Helpline.
Answering the call
Liza has been working for SNAP for over a decade and has a wealth of experience. Her previous roles before joining the SNAP team have included primary and secondary level teaching where she developed an interest in special needs education.
“Offering Helpline support means I can often be a first line response to families who have taken the huge step to contact SNAP. I am very aware of how daunting this can be and that it often takes a great deal of courage and a leap of faith to reach out for support. I want to make it as easy as possible, from the outset, for parents and carers to talk to me and know that I am genuinely there to support and listen.
“The message I try to get across is that they don’t have to face things alone – there is someone on the Helpline who will give them time to talk. This can often involve some long and in depth conversations exploring parents’ concerns and often very difficult situations. I also explain the services we can offer and that SNAP is there to work in partnership with families for as long as they need us.
“I help callers by offering guidance, advice and information and if appropriate signposting to other organisations and services that support around disability and special needs, many of these are to be found in our SNAP online directory – which is an indispensable reference point for advisers as well as a great resource for families and professionals. I hope parents feel empowered and less isolated knowing they have the SNAP Helpline available to them. My aim is to provide a caring and professional response to each call or email.
“Helpline support is not just about first response calls and registering new families. The Helpline is available to any SNAP family if they need to discuss any concerns and for ongoing support. There are often times when it is just not practical to get to The SNAP Centre for a face-to-face advice session.
“There is a huge amount of job satisfaction in knowing you have been a listening ear and may have given someone the time and space to talk freely, without judgement and hopefully to feel they have been heard and understood, often for the first time.”
“I feel so much lighter after speaking to you, like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like I have found an angel.”
“I am so glad I called and spoke to you as I wasn’t sure if I should. You have made me feel a lot better and I am going to take on board everything we have discussed.”
“Speaking to you has made me feel so much better and like I am actually doing something to support my family. I might be able to sleep tonight.”
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