The challenge
Amaze provides information, advice, and practical support to families of children and young people with SEND. The Compass Card scheme offers free access to leisure incentives, helping reduce financial barriers and social isolation.
As uptake increased, Amaze required a digital platform that would improve accessibility, streamline content management, and future-proof the service for potential expansion.
The objective was not simply to launch an app, but to strengthen long-term service delivery.
Our approach
We developed a cross-platform mobile application using React Native, ensuring consistent delivery across Apple and Android devices while maintaining cost efficiency.
A central API was built to serve both the mobile app and Compass Card website, creating a single source of truth for content. This architecture reduces duplication, improves governance, and ensures consistent service information across channels.
We also built a web-based administration platform using Django, enabling Amaze staff to update offers and information in real time without ongoing developer support.
From the outset, the system was designed for regional scalability, allowing additional local authorities to adopt the platform without structural redevelopment.
The team at DabApps have been a pleasure to work with. They took the time to understand what Amaze does and what was needed and they were efficient, intelligent and responsive throughout the development process.
Ann Blackburn, Compass and Development Manager at Amaze
Results and impact
The Compass Card digital platform has strengthened how SEND leisure services are delivered and accessed.
Families can now browse and access incentives quickly via mobile, reducing friction and improving engagement with available opportunities. By digitising offer discovery and communication, the service supports wider participation across Brighton & Hove and West Sussex.
For Amaze, the centralised content management system has reduced administrative overhead and improved operational efficiency. Offers can be updated instantly across both the app and website, eliminating duplication and reducing reliance on manual processes.
The scalable architecture provides a cost-effective model for expansion. The system is structured to support adoption by additional local authorities without fundamental redevelopment, creating a sustainable digital foundation for broader rollout.
Together, these improvements enhance accessibility, increase service visibility, and strengthen long-term delivery capacity for SEND families.
Looking ahead
With robust digital infrastructure in place, the Compass Card scheme is well positioned to expand regionally and evolve alongside service demand.
Our continued collaboration with Amaze demonstrates how thoughtfully designed digital systems can strengthen local service delivery while remaining adaptable to broader public-sector requirements.