SNAP supports families across Essex, Thurrock and Southend who have children, 0-25, with any additional need or disability. We partner with parents to provide compassion, guidance, and hope for the whole family through steadfast support and tailored resources. Crucially, no diagnosis or professional referral is needed to access SNAP.

Over the past 30 years, SNAP has developed a range of services in response to the needs of Essex families including a variety of sessions for children, Information Network and online Directory, specialist talks, and email and telephone Helpline which provides an essential listening ear for parents and carers. Whether a family needs specific information or just needs to chat an issue through, SNAP’s team of Family Support Advisers are ready to help. 

Rebecca and her family came to SNAP in June 2020 when the family was at a crisis point. Her son, Thomas, had been diagnosed with ASD and ADHD and was not in school. The family felt completely alone and rejected by the services that were supposed to help, so she called the SNAP Helpline.

Rebecca said, “Feeling lost, overwhelmed, and exhausted, I contacted SNAP. From my first contact, I felt they just got it.”

SNAP set up weekly individual sessions for Thomas because of his anxiety and needs. After a few months of sessions, the family started seeing a change. 

These weekly sessions benefitted the rest of the family too. Whilst Thomas was occupied and happy, Rebecca attended SNAP counselling and Thomas’s younger sibling enjoyed quality time with his father at home. Thomas’s sibling also attended SIBS4FUN, SNAP’s annual sibling support week, focused on making the young carers, brothers and sisters the centre of attention.

Rebecca said, “We will be eternally grateful to SNAP for the compassion they show our family. The SNAP Team really are local heroes, and I can’t thank them enough for their support and warmth towards my family. We are never letting them go!”

If you would like to know more about SNAP visit snapcharity.org.