For more than 15 years, the SNUG Program has brought together families raising children with complex health conditions and disability.
Run by the Family Action Centre at the University of Newcastle, SNUG holds residential retreats where families can meet others with similar experiences, take part in activities and spend time together.
Since 2009, the program has supported more than 330 families and 1,280 individuals. Relationships Australia NSW has been involved in SNUG for more than a decade, providing pro bono therapeutic support to families attending the retreats.
Now, with a major source of funding coming to an end, the future of the program is uncertain.
A place to connect with other families
Families raising children with rare and complex health conditions can have experiences that aren’t always well understood by others. For some, SNUG is the first time they’ve met another family navigating similar circumstances.
Senior Counsellor and Art Therapist, Lucy Butler, has supported SNUG retreats throughout her seven-and-a-half years with Relationships Australia NSW.
“I don’t think there are many programs where you literally see such a difference in families’ and children’s lives,” says Lucy.
At each retreat, Lucy and Group Facilitator Leanne Schubert run creative family therapy sessions focused on connection, confidence and communication, while recognising each family’s strengths.
Activities are adapted so people with a wide range of abilities can participate. They have included badge-making, family mandalas, collaborative sculptures, community murals and shared storytelling.
Lucy says an important part of SNUG is simply the opportunity to spend time with people who have had similar experiences.
Parents can meet other parents facing some of the same challenges, siblings have the chance to connect with other young people who have a brother or sister with a complex health condition, and children with disability have opportunities to form friendships with other children and young people.
“There’s nowhere in my life where I go and I just feel so accepted and so understood,” one sibling involved in SNUG told us.
Connections beyond the retreat
For some families, the relationships formed through SNUG continue after the retreat.
Families keep in touch through support groups and social networks, while some children who first attended as participants have later returned as peer mentors for younger attendees.
“During the retreat our little family felt like we are now a part of a much bigger family,” one parent reflected.
Another described the friendships and support they found through the program as “a lifesaver”.
For Relationships Australia NSW, the partnership reflects something we see across much of our work – the role strong relationships and social connection can play in individual and family wellbeing.
“I’ve worked in all sorts of different communities, both in Australia and internationally, and this is one of the programs I’ve been most moved by seeing the impact,” Lucy says.
The program is facing an uncertain future
SNUG was supported by the Steve Waugh Foundation from 2009 to 2025. With that funding coming to an end, the program is now seeking alternative funding to continue operating beyond September.
Over its 15-year history, SNUG has brought together hundreds of families from across Australia, many of whom have had few opportunities to meet others with similar experiences.
Lucy hopes raising awareness of the program will help it reach organisations and funders interested in supporting its continuation.
“The more people who know about this program and its impact, the better. These families can face significant challenges and isolation, and SNUG gives them an opportunity to connect with people who genuinely understand their experiences.”
Relationships Australia NSW has supported SNUG and the families attending its retreats for more than a decade. We hope sharing the program’s story will also help raise awareness among potential partners and funders who may be able to support its future.
If you know of any funding or sponsorship opportunities, we would love to hear from you. Please email snug@newcastle.edu.au
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