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10 years of SNEP: Strengthening the Network for Neurodiverse Support

date_range2025-12-20

Throughout the decade-long journey of the Special Needs Education Programme (SNEP) at saigonchildren, we have learned a profound lesson: to support a neurodivergent child, facilities are a necessity, but a robust professional ecosystem and a network of skilled, empathetic companions are what truly make the difference.

From Material Support to Empowerment through Knowledge

Reflecting on our journey since 2010, saigonchildren first entered the field of disability support with projects that included both facility improvements and training initiatives. However, we soon realised that the most significant barrier in Vietnam remained the gap in specialised skills.

To bridge this gap, since 2016, SNEP has shifted its focus towards a strategy of ‘Empowerment through Knowledge’:

  • Training core teams: Enhancing the capacity of local kindergarten teachers and practitioners.
  • Introducing the evidence-based early intervention model that saigonchildren has developed and operated in our support programme since 2019. Our team provides technical expertise to centres in Đồng Tháp, Đồng Nai, and Cần Thơ.
  • Expanding the LEGO Club model: These clubs utilise play-based therapy for children with neurodiversity; there are now eight clubs established across the country, from North to South.

The SNEP Network: A Space for Professional and Emotional Support

In addition to one-off training sessions, since 2024, saigonchildren has worked towards building a network to connect specialists supporting children with neurodiversity. This is a space where practitioners and experts can gather, share practical lessons, and find mutual motivation.

Recently, the 2025 network gathering themed “Applying Play-Based Learning for Children with Neurodiversity” was held in a warm atmosphere. It brought together over 40 specialists from various regions, including Hà Nội, Đắk Lắk, Gia Lai, Khánh Hòa, Lâm Đồng, HCMC, Đồng Nai, Đồng Tháp, and Cần Thơ City.

A shared journey

The most memorable “touchpoint” of this year’s gathering was the connection made not just among the professional community, but also with the parents of children in need of support:

  • Learning with practice: After attending sharing sessions by Dr Vu Hoang Phuong Vy (Psychiatrist and Consultant for dadangthankinh.com content), practitioners directly facilitated a workshop for nearly 50 parents having children with neurodiversity on the topic of “Oriented Play Activity”.
  • Understanding that empowers: Rather than learning through theory alone, parents immersed themselves in oriented play activities led by specialists. By experiencing play firsthand, they truly understood the purpose behind each activity and gained deeper insight into their child’s perspective. This makes supporting their children at home feel more natural and joyful.

  • Rebuilding inner strength: The gathering served as a vital space for everyone to “recharge.”
    • For practitioners: It offer a necessary pause for them to learn, share, and reflect, laying the foundation for more sustainable projects in the future.
    • For parents: Those from our early intervention project in HCMC, our Đồng Nai project, and the wider community had the chance to meet.  They didn’t just connect with experts to resolve concerns; they also found empathy and emotional support from other parents who were walking the same path.

After ten years of striving to build the professional capacity of those working with children with neurodiversity, and two years of focused network-building, we are more confident than ever that strong, close connections among those who accompany these children create greater collective strength, enabling us to provide the best possible support for the young people who need it most.

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