SNUG Retreats
Who is SNUG for?
Children with rare conditions
To make friends with children who are just like them, often for the very first time!
Their parents
To offer a support network who understands them, and to enjoy time together with their children away from the everyday demands of their caring role.
Their siblings
To connect with others like them in a supportive environment where they can share their experiences.
Our Why
Around 400,000 children in Australia are living with a rare medical condition.
Families who have children with rare, chronic, and complex conditions experience significantly impaired family wellbeing, social isolation, and exclusion.
The significant caring responsibilities, financial burden, isolation, trauma, and uncertainty associated with having a child with a rare condition result in all family members experiencing significant difficulty in accessing appropriate family activities, and finding a social network that shares similar challenges and experiences.
“Raising a child with a disability is lonely and hard work. Having the ‘same boat’ network to debrief is a lifesaver.”
Our Approach
SNUG retreats embrace a family-centered approach to enable families to have fun together and improve the resilience and wellbeing of the family unit.
Accessible program activities - including music therapy, art therapy, sensory play, and outdoor recreation activities - are facilitated by local professionals and are designed to identify and celebrate the skills and strengths of all family members, with the aim of improving wellbeing, connection, communication, and resilience.
SNUG retreats also provide a safe and supportive atmosphere for family members to develop confidence in sharing family experiences, knowledge and resources with others who are experiencing similar challenges, in this way developing lasting friendships and support networks with their peers.