Our impact

SNAP’s vision is to provide a safe environment offering a wide range of support and specialist services with the aim to increase resilience and empowerment within our families. SNAP’s ethos is about strengthening all members of the family.

SNAP – Special Needs And Parents

SNAP is an Essex charity whose aim is to inform, encourage and support families with children and young people who have any special need or disability, allowing parents and carers to grow in strength and knowledge so they are better equipped to give the best possible help to their children.

From its Brentwood base, SNAP offers a helping hand to thousands of families who need support. No formal diagnosis or professional referral is necessary to access SNAP services, available to families of children and young people aged 0 to 25.

The charity’s vision is to provide a safe environment offering a wide range of support and specialist services with the aim to increase resilience and empowerment within our families. SNAP’s ethos is about strengthening all members of the family.

“When parents first come to The SNAP Centre they often feel isolated and don’t know where to turn, but with SNAP’s support they grow in strength and knowledge and become better equipped to give the best possible help to their children,” says Karen Boath, Manager (Families).

Registered Charity No.1077787

“Without SNAP’s support I doubt I would understand my child at all. I doubt they would be verbal and I am quite sure they wouldn’t have a full Statement of Education, an Occupational Therapist, or the amazing opportunity of a placement at an appropriate school.
I could list so many things SNAP has given us a family but most importantly you have given me the confidence to fight for my child. You have given my child a chance for a brighter future. We are indebted to you all for listening, understanding, supporting and encouraging.
SNAP is the reason I hear my child say Mumma.”

The strategies employed to achieve our objectives:

  • Education, training and support for parents, carers and professionals working with children and young people
  • Activities, courses and therapies for children and young people
  • Activities, courses and support for siblings

The SNAP Centre offers a wide range of services:

Parent Advice and Support

  • Helpline (telephone and email)
  • Face-to-Face Parents Support
  • Specialist Talks and Training Courses
  • Library of Specialist Books and DVDs
  • Website with comprehensive SNAP Directory of useful contacts
  • Online Information Network
  • Counselling
  • Education Advice Sessions

Activities

  • Parent and Pre-school Children’s Sessions
  • Yoga, Drama and Activity Groups
  • Music Therapy
  • Holiday Sessions
  • SNAP+ Group for Older Children and Young People
  • Sibling Support
  • Multi-Sensory Room
  • Specialist IT Suite

Key Statistics

Here are a few key statistics highlighting the work that SNAP does with families

All figures are correct as of October 2019

0
Families have been supported by SNAP since we began 25 years ago
0
Families are currently receiving our support

2018 Statistics

Number of families with children and young people with have any special need and disability supported in 2018

Year on year there is an increasing demand from families for SNAP’s services.

Inform
0
Information resources given to parents from our specialist library
0
Participants in training courses and talks
0
Face-to-face parent advice appointment and surgeries
0
Helpline telephone calls and emails
Encourage
0
New Families Registered
0
SNAP families helped since the charity formed in 1994.
0
Children and young people attended clubs and activities
0
Children and young people attended holiday services and individual sessions
Support
0
Counselling sessions for parents and families
0
Siblings young carers supported
0
Essex families
0
Children and young people with special needs

You can find out more about SNAP’s work and finances in our Annual Report and Accounts and find a further slice of SNAP life in our SNAP Matters magazine.

Our History

Our Team

News

Annual Reports

Case Studies

Family Case Study

“Having somewhere to go, where she can be effortlessly Ava, is a gift.”

That is how mum Liz sums up SNAP who have been helping her severely disabled daughter for the past eight years.

Find out more

The value of being a SNAP Volunteer

Volunteering for SNAP is a really rewarding experience bringing many benefits to both the charity and to the individual themselves. With more than 120 volunteers, of all ages, SNAP offers a stepping stone to future employment or other pursuits.

Find out more
What do you think of our services?
0
%
of families are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the quality of SNAP Children Services
0
%
of families are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the advice, support and information we provide
0
%
of families think that SNAP run services are important or extremely important to them
0
%
of families are satisfied or extremely satisfied with SNAP run Parent Services
0
%
of families are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the SNAP Directory
0
%
of families say that SNAP Children Services are important or extremely important
Since families engaged with SNAP...
0
%
of families are now aware or extremely aware of other support organisations that can help their family
0
%
of families feel confident or extremely confident supporting their child's needs since engaging with SNAP
0
%
of families feel supported or very supported to give the best possible help to their child since engaging with SNAP
0
%
of families are likely or extremely likely to use/continue to use SNAP run services

Recent News

Radio SNAP!

SNAP is delighted to welcome familiar and new families to our weekly music session that goes out live on Facebook every Friday morning at 9.30am.…

Read more

Get in touch

Help support The SNAP Centre and Services Donate