Support Groups

Support groups are a great way for parents to get together and let off steam. They allow parents to share their experience of being the parent of a gifted child and to swap ideas for managing home and school life. Support groups are often where parents find out it’s okay for their children to be gifted afterall.

Parents and Teachers
Support groups are made up of parents but teachers are welcome to join also. Teachers can connect professionally via TEACH Ireland also.

Gifted Adults
Many parents of gifted children are gifted themselves and support groups can also be a means by which Gifted Adults can share their experiences of being gifted. Check out the Facebook page here also.

Advocacy
GT Network Ireland is a support and advocacy network. In short, our aim is to make it okay for parents to talk to schools about their child’s giftedness. Each support groups starts out as a means of support only and this is the main purpose for connecting parents. However, some groups may want to get involved in advocacy. As more Gifted Advocacy and Support groups form, GT Network will help bring them all together so that we can have a coordinated national advocacy effort towards the recognition of gifted childrens’ needs in schools.

Although we have members on our register from almost every county, only a few have organised support groups. Remember, each group was started by one or two determined individuals, so if there is none in your area, start one! We will be happy to set up a page here for you and put you in touch with other members in your county.


View GT Network Ireland in a larger map

Each balloon on this map represents a person on our register. If you click on them, you will see where they are. For many, we only know the county, but we are asking members to get in touch to let us know their nearest town. Slowly but surely, the balloons are being more accurately positioned. Is there one there for you?

Blue: Registered members who have not yet let us know exactly where they are based or if they would like to be part of a support group.

Purple: People who have let us know exactly where they are based and have been put in touch with others in their area.

Red: People who have let us know where they are based and who would like to connect with others in their area.

Sun: Support groups already established or in the process of getting going.

If you would like to be involved, please sign up here.

by Peter Lydon and Catherine Riordan

2 Comments

  1. Hi, I live in the Athlone region. I notice there is a support group set up and running in Galway which would be reasonably close by Athlone.

    Kindest Regards,
    Jodi

  2. Im living in ballinasloe looking for nearest support group as im thinking of homeschooling my 8yr old who is challenging the education system and as they cannot seem to handle his advanced way of thinking i am forced to look elsewhere for schooling.
    i turned up at costa coffe shop in golden island this morning as i heard a support group SPEAK had m3etings once a month but sadlyno one there please can you offer any adveadvice on where i may go to get support for alternative schooling
    many thanks kind rdrgds kate hayes

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