Like most services valued by parents, Amaze is the result of enormous collective effort from parents. They drove the push for co-ordinated independent, information, advice and support and they have been central to the organisation's design from the outset. Alongside help from enthusiastic and committed practitioners, Amaze is now the main umbrella organisation in the city, representing the interests of children with special needs from a parent perspective.

Launched in October 1997, Amaze brought together two existing local projects – the Network of Parents, which was started by a parent in 1992 and focused on social care and health matters, and the Parent Link Project, which started in 1994 and set about building parent partnerships with schools and the Local Education Authority. By merging these organisations, both originally projects of the Brighton & Hove Council for Voluntary Service, Amaze became a 'one stop shop' spanning all issues concerned with children's educational, social and emotional development. It registered as a charity and company limited by guarantee in December 1999.

Since its inception Amaze has been a parent-led organisation, innovative in approach and recognised locally and nationally as an example of good practice and excellence.

Recognition of our work

The quality of our management and our work with parents is reflected in the following accolades:

• The National Association for Parenting Practitioners commissioned Amaze Research and Training (ART) to deliver a series of workshops around the country, focusing on 'Good Practice Working with Parents of Disabled Children'. 2009
• Our ART Director presented a workshop about building resilience with families at the international 'Coping and Resilience' conference in 2009.
• Together for Disabled Children identifies Amaze's Compass database and leisure card as examples of good practise in engaging with parents and children. 2008
• Amaze was invited to consult with parents for the national Bercow Review into services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. Key recommendations in the final report reflected what parents said mattered most. 2008
• Our website won Best Charity Site and a special accessibility award at the Brighton and Hove Web Awards. Dec 2007
• Amaze was asked to build on its co-training model to deliver Triple P Parenting courses for Brighton and Hove's Children and Young People Trust, one of 10 local authorities chosen as a DfES Early Intervention Parenting Pathfinder. Sept 2006
• Amaze invited to join the National Pilot on Person Centred Transition Planning and to become a regional trainer for the project. 2005
• Amaze assisted the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit to consult with local parents, 'Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People'. 2004
• Ofsted-SSI joint inspection, praised Amaze's Parent Partnership work as 'a model of excellence'. 2004
• Audit Commission contracted Amaze to write parent fact sheets to accompany their national review of services for disabled children. 2003
• Audit Commission cited The Compass as an example of good practice amongst local registers of disabled children. 2003
• Amaze facilitated a parent group to work with Jenny Morris to write 'The Right Place: A parent's guide to choosing a residential special school' Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 2003
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation cited our newsletter and handbook for parents as models of good practice in 'User-friendly information for families with disabled children: A guide to good practice'. 2001
  

We have grown significantly over the past 12 years: our staff team has trebled, we have accumulated a wealth of experience managing numerous short and long term projects, our income has increased four fold and our core services are well established and secure.