CTY - Centre for Talented Youth - Advice please .

lucy2010

Hi

Just a small bit of advice. My son, just 8 was recently assessed by Dept Edu. They thought he had some behavioural issues. Anyway it turned out hes highly intelligent - 96th percentile & is just bored in school. ( All fine now once his teacher was allowed to change his curriculum) Anyway the inspector guy explained he wont get any additional help in the classroom so I should consider sending him to DCU to the CTY in the summer.
Are there grants available? Unfortunately ive found myself on benefits & im a single parent so there literly is not one spare cent to pay for this .
Has anyone any experience of CTY? What should I expect?
I have managed to get a principal to take him on 1 day a week for the summer as a case study into special needs education - will this suffice in place of sending him to CTY?

TBH im kind of lost on what to do... I feel on one hand the child deserves an education adequate to his needs which is the aim of sending him to CTY but on the other hand I simply cannot afford it. Naturally there is a huge feeling of guilt as I feel I too should be providing him with an adequate education as my role as his mammy. I spend hours at home here with him doing anything he wants to do - science experiments, were up to 4th class maths now, books upon books - anything he shows an interest in I sit & explore it with him. But im not a teacher im not qualified im just trying to do the best I can . I spend a lot of time in his school with his principal & teacher coming up with new plans & future learning. They are fantastic & a great support.

I did email all my local TDs to find out on grants etc but unfortunately not one has replied. If anyone could give me some advise I would really appreciate it.

CnaG

I went to a couple of the CTYI summer courses a few years ago (a good few years ago actually - 2001 and 2003). I'm not sure about grants for the younger kids, but when he gets older he might be able to get a scholarship if he does well enough on the SATs.

Having said that, a lot of CTY's funding was slashed in the recent budget, which has made the courses really very expensive. But you're completely right to look for the funding anyway, if you really want to send him there. I'd say if you can get it, that's great. CTYI can be fantastic fun. But if there's no funding available, don't be bankrupting yourself to send him - it's not that great. And certainly don't be guilting yourself about it either.

There might be no harm contacting CTYI directly to see if they have information on local grants you may be able to apply for, I'm sure they get a good few requests for that sort of information and will be able to point you in the right direction. In the meantime I think what you're doing is great so long as he's choosing to do it and you aren't pushing him (not that you sound like you are at all, but some of the people I met in CTYI were pushed unbelievably hard by their parents, which makes me a bit wary of it)

Best of luck, and hope everything turns out well

byhookorbycrook

check out the forum on giftedkids.ie, they're all very helpful.

jane17

Ctyi have a scheme to help low income families.
I would sugest you give them a ring on mon.
There are classes starting in may you could apply for.

lucy2010

Thanks everyone - Ill ring them Monday. That programme on TV3 was so interesting the other night... A pushy parent im not, a gifted child I have so ill see what best suits the child. But thanks all - there is so many different ways to look at the situation

byhookorbycrook

Lucy,the mam on the programme(first half) is on the giftedkids.ie forum,she and loads more there will be of great help to you.plus there are loads of links to stuff you could do at home. One great thing about CTYI is that exceptionally able children meet others like them,helps them to make new friends and to realise that they are not "the only ones."

lucy2010

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Lucy,the mam on the programme(first half) is on the giftedkids.ie forum,she and loads more there will be of great help to you.plus there are loads of links to stuff you could do at home. One great thing about CTYI is that exceptionally able children meet others like them,helps them to make new friends and to realise that they are not "the only ones."

Thanks a mil - She was like my saviour the other night... Was talking to my sis about her & for the first time since all this start I have finally sen someone who I related to ..