50 Shades of Exceptional is a Parent to Parent Support Group that sets out to :
- Facilitate Parent to Parent Support to Parents of Children with additional needs
- Promote Self Care for Parents
- To host talks/ information sessions based on areas identified by the the Parents involved with 50 SOE.
- Provide a friendly, social space for parents to meet up in
- Advocate on identified issues
- Highlight and seek action on issues affecting families who have children with additional needs
Calendar of Events
Please See the General Calendar of Events Below.
Further details on all of these events, are on different sections of this page. If you are unable to find the information you need, please feel free to contact us at community@brillfrc.ie or 051-350100
March
3rd March 2022 – Parents Therapeutic Art Group
10th March 2022 – Parents Therapeutic Art Group
14 March 2022 – Teens Strength & Conditioning
21 March 2022 – Teens Strength & Conditioning
24th March 2022- Parents Therapeutic Art Group
28 March 2022 – Teens Strength & Conditioning
31st March 2022- Parents Therapeutic Art Group
April
4 April 2022 – Teens Strength & Conditioning
6 April – Monthly Information Session & Coffee Morning – Waterford Disability Network
7 April 2022 – Parents Therapeutic Art Group
25 April 2022 – Teens Strength & Conditioning
28th April 2022 – Parents Therapeutic Art Group
May
4th May – Monthly Information Session & Coffee Morning – TBC
5th May 2022 -Parents Therapeutic Art Group
9 May 2022 – Teens Strength & Conditioning
12th May 2022 – Parents Therapeutic Art Group
16 May 2022– Teens Strength & Conditioning
23 May 2022- Teens Strength & Conditioning
June
1 June – Monthly Information Session & Coffee Morning – TBC
Monthly Coffee Mornings
Our Monthly Coffee & Information sessions follow the following format.
10.00 Parents Arrive/ Get a tea or Coffee / Settle
Facilitator for the day gives relevant info on the chosen topic
Q & A session afterwards
Parents network after the information session to discuss this further and offer support/ advice on their experiences navigating the topic discussed that morning and/ or other topics
Monthly Talks
April
Venue & Time: BRILL FRC ( X91 YT38) 10-11.15
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Facilitated by : Waterford Disability Network
Focusing on :
- Next Steps after 2nd Level
- Disability Payments
- Identifying Supports available to Parents from Waterford Disability Network
May
Venue & Time: BRILL FRC ( X91 YT38) 10-11.15
Facilitated by : Childrens Diability Network/ CRC
Focusing on : TBC
June
Venue & Time: BRILL FRC ( X91 YT38) 10-11.15
Facilitated by : TBC
Focusing on :
Therapeutic Art
Firstly, you do not need to be artistic!!!! You can be totally ‘non artistic’ but still take part in these classes.:) They are not Art Classes. We use Art as a starting point for discussions, to allow us explore different areas and different topics. Its fun, social and very engaging.
Art therapy is a form of self expression through different forms of art, for example, drawing, painting or clay sculpting. Art therapy is a way of helping people to open up and engage with their therapy in new and fun ways. It is said that art therapy can help people to manage their stress and also gain a better understanding of themselves.
Parents
Our Next Course will be:
Venue: BRILL FRC – Ballybeg
Thursday 10-12
Dates:
3rd March 2022
10th March 2022
**********
24th March 2022
31st March 2022
7 April 2022
**********
28th April 2022
5th May 2022
12th May 2022
PLEASE NOTE THIS COURSE IS NOW FULL
Young People
Art Therapy is also available to children and young people.
Self Care For Parents
Please Click on Link Below :
Siblings
Teen Fitness Classes
Teen Strength & Conditioning Class
50 Shades of Exceptional have teamed up with Cill Barra Sports Centre to provide Steength & Conditioning Clases for 12-15 year olds
Details as Follows:
Mondays 5pm – 6pm
Venue: Cill Barra Sports Hall
Cost: €40 payable up front / €30 for 50 Shades of Exceptional Members
Dates:
- 14 March 2022
- 21 March 2022
- 28 March 2022
- 4 April 2022
- 25 April 2022
- 9 May 2022
- 16 May 2022
- 23 May 2022
For further details and expressions of interest, please contact community@brillfrc.ie
or Call 085 8771772
General Parenting Programmes
Please Click on Link Below :
Summer Provision Information
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/primary_and_post_primary_education/summer_education_programme.html
What is Summer Provision?
Summer Provision provides educational supports during the summer to children with special needs and those at most risk of educational disadvantage.
The Summer Provision 2021 programmes includes:
- School-based summer programme for children with special educational needs in special classes, special schools and mainstream schools
- Home-based provision for children with complex needs (where a school-based programme is not available)
- Summer camps in DEIS schools focussing on numeracy and literacy
All primary schools and post-primary schools including DEIS will have the opportunity to provide a 2-week summer programme for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
Summer Provision is based on the July Provision which was delivered to children with special educational needs by the Department of Education in previous years.
Who qualifies for Summer Provision?
The following children qualify for the school-based programme:
- Children in a special school or a special class
- Children in mainstream classes in primary schools who are accessing the highest level of the continuum of support. This includes children with autism, Down syndrome, sensory impairments, and other disabilities who were identified for the supplementary programme earlier this year.
Children in the above categories entering primary school next September are also eligible for the programme.
Priority places
Schools will give first place on the school-based programme to students with complex needs in special classes and mainstream classes. The remaining places will be given on the basis of need and availability.
Remaining places
When the priority places have gone, the remaining places may be offered to:
- Children identified by the school as being most at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving
- Children who did not engage fully in online learning during the school closures
- Children accessing Special Education Teacher (SET) or Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support
- Children whose domestic circumstances or home environment are not conducive to online learning
- Children who have been identified as having poor attendance
- Traveller and Roma children
- Children who have English as an additional Language (EAL) who lost out on contact with English language during school closures
School-based programme
All primary schools and post-primary schools have the opportunity to provide a new 2 week summer programme for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
All special schools will also have the opportunity to provide a summer programme.
The programme will take place in the child’s school between July and August.
There is information for parents on the primary school-based summer education progamme (pdf) and the post-primary school-based summer education progamme (pdf).
Home-based programme
The home-based programme is only available if your child’s school is not running a school-based programme or it does not have capacity to accommodate your child in the programme.
The home-based programme funds the employment of care support or a tutor for 10 hours per week for 4 weeks. It will run between 9am and 6m, Monday to Friday. The four weeks do not have to be consecutive and can take place any time during the summer holidays. The tutor must be a registered teacher or a special needs assistant (SNA) and meet child protection criteria. Support must be provided one to one.
The school will contact parents of eligible children and provide a Grant Claim Form. The school will complete Part 1 of the form. If a school cannot provide a teacher or SNA, the parents must employ one.
When the programme of hours have been delivered, parents should complete the timetable of hours on the Grant Claim Form and return it to Department of Education, Home-Based Summer Programme, Special Education Section, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath N37 X659 by 3 September 2021.
Find out more about the 2021 home-based summer programme (pdf) from the Department of Education.
You can read the COVID-19 guidance for delivering in-home tuition and personal care (pdf).
If your family did not avail of any hours under the supplementary scheme, your allocation for the home-based programme can be extended to 5 weeks.
DEIS schools summer camp
DEIS primary schools may run literacy and numeracy camps for children who are considered by the school to have the greatest level of need. The summer camps also provide well-being and school engagement programmes for children at risk of educational disadvantage. The camps can be run through English or Gaeilge.
Primary schools can allocate places to children of any age, including sixth class, and can choose children who would most benefit from the programme.
Can I get school transport during Summer Provision?
If you normally use the special education needs (SEN) transport scheme, it may be provided. If SEN transport services are not available, you can apply for grant funding after your child has completed the programme.
The Department’s School Transport Scheme will not run during the summer programme. If your child normally uses the School Transport Scheme, your school may make local transport arrangements. You should contact your school for more details.
Further information
You should contact your child’s school about its school-based summer programme. If the school is not running a school-based programme or there are not enough places for eligible children the school can provide you with an application form for the home-based programme.
You can get more information about the Summer Provision from the Department of Education and at gov.ie/summerprovision