The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an organisation which has been doing amazing things for the young people of the UK for many years now so I thought it was about time that we caught up with NAGC Director Stephen Tommis to talk about what the NAGC does and how they can help you.

When was the National Association for Gifted Children set up?

NAGC was set up in May 1967 so 2007 represents our 40th year! This is quite a milestone both in charity and gifted and talented terms since few charities live to see their 40th birthday and there is no other organisation in the UK that has dealt with G&T issues for so long.

Who was behind getting it off the ground and why was there such a need for NAGC in the UK?

The Association was set up by a group of parents and education psychologists with an interest in gifted and talented. Most of the parents had gifted children and their experiences with schools convinced them that there was a need for a pressure group to raise awareness for the needs of gifted children in the 1960s. For a long time it had been assumed that gifted children would automatically do well in school, that their needs were being met through everyday provision. However, the experiences of both the children and patents suggested otherwise. It is estimated that 85% of gifted children underachieve, some because they are bored, some because they have a learning disability.

What age groups do you work with?

We work with and aim to provide for children of all ages. One of the trends we have noticed in the past ten years particularly is that we are dealing with younger children. Whereas in the 1990s were had calls from parents with children mainly aged 9-14, in recent years this has changed to mainly 2-7 years - so there is an increased awareness for younger children.

What roles do the NAGC in supporting the development of gifted children in the UK and what services do they provide?

We support about 10,000 children, young people and adults each year through the services we provide.

The most comprehensive source of information on NAGC can be found on our website www.nagcbritain.org.uk  

The support services include:

• A free Helpline and e-mail service for children and young people, parents and organisations working with these groups. The phone Helpline is currently available Monday and Wednesday-Friday 09.15-16.00.

• Advocacy and lobbying to all the key stakeholders in the gifted and talented arena so that the voice of parents and gifted children is heard and understood.

• A website that has all the latest information about issues surrounding giftedness, significant links, helpful ideas, and access to discussion boards so that concerns and experiences can be shared with other members.

• A Parent-School Partnership (PSP) service which supports parents and schools to find a positive outcome for the child in their care. This is a referral service from the Helpline.

• Branches and regular Explorer Activity Clubs in 26 locations throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland to support parents and children.

• Regular newsletters with branch news and key articles for both children and adults.

• Free resource packs for parents with information and advice on a full range of issues about giftedness.

• Research and other publications on gifted and talented issues. Recent publications include Neglected Voices, Engaging Parents, Gifted and Talented Children in the Early Years.

• Access to Art and Music specialists for help and support.

• Free Mini/Young or Youth Explorers membership for families with children of all ages. This is an opportunity for these children to take advantage of the on-line community to engage with similarly gifted young people and to receive the termly publications, Muse or A-Muse and E-Muse.

• NAGC Family Days where members from all over the country can come together to share experiences. There is always an extensive parallel programme for parents and children and in recent years attendance has exceeded 500 delegates.

• Access to the Gifted and Talented Journal which is one of the leading academic journals on giftedness with an international span.

The respect we have earned as a registered charity of some years standing and as a specialist organisation enables us to lobby government and other bodies for changes in the way children and young people of high ability and their parents are treated. 

Do you work closely with schools and colleges?

We have little to do with the tertiary sector but we work closely with schools because they are the key factor in making provision for gifted children. It is estimated that out of 24000 schools in England, about two-thirds now make provision of some kind for gifted children so we have moved a long way!

What is your role in the organisation and what does your job involve?

I am NAGC's Director so am responsible for all the internal and external management issues of running a national charity. Externally, I am responsible for ensuring that NAGC makes a difference to the cause through sitting on various national strategic committees and representing NAGC at conferences and the like. Internally, I employ all the staff and manage/oversee all the projects with which NAGC is associated.

What should a parent do if they feel they have a gifted child and what are the signs that parents should be looking out for?

The answer depends on whether the needs of their gifted child are being met. Most parents want to support their children and provided them with the opportunities to reach their potential but this is not always the case. In such circumstances, parents phone our free Helpline where expert advice is available to meet particular needs. We can also outline the characteristics if giftedness for particular age groups see our website

What have been some of NAGC's biggest success stories to date?

Our biggest success goes back to 1998 when the government established an all-party parliamentary committee to look into the needs for and provision for gifted children. NAGC was a major provider of evidence and from this developed a commitment from the DCSF (then the DfES) to do more for gifted children. The gifted cause was on the national political agenda! Since then we have seen the emergence of a gifted unit within the DCSF, the National Academy for Gifted Youth, various websites, etc.

What are your opinions of the current state of education and the work that is being done to help young people reach their full potential?

We have come a long way in the past 7 years more than in the previous 33 but there is still some way to go. More schools are aware of the need to provide the appropriate learning opportunities for the gifted and there is a much larger scale of provision outside the classroom. But, our objective remains to ensure there is excellent provision in every classroom, every day, for ALL gifted children. We have begun to overcome the stigma associated with being gifted.

How can you go about becoming a member of the NAGC and what do you get for becoming a member?

This is mostly answered above. Becoming a member is easy, You can apply online (www.nagcbritain.org.uk) which will give you instant access to the members area of our extensive website and to the range of benefits listed above.

What will the NAGC be getting up to this year?

Our immediate objective is to hold a really successful Family Weekend in Shropshire in October. We usually have a national Family Day each year but with this being our 40th year we wanted to do something bigger and better! So, we are offering a full programme for parents and children over a weekend.

In November we will be holding a gala lunch to raise awareness and provide a medium for recognising the achievements of both our members and our vital volunteers. HRH The Duchess of Gloucester will grace the occasion with her presence.

How can we find out more about the NAGC?

Our website www.nagcbritain.org.uk is the best source of information though we can send hard copy if we are contacted by phone 0845 450 0295.