For too long, childhood "creativity" has been treated as a psychological affliction by the very people responsible for their education--teachers, professionals and administrators.

As a result of widespread ignorance concerning the creative and gifted, many schools have neglected them or worse, have coerced their parents into giving their children sense dulling medication to "keep them manageable" in class.

The NFGCC's main purpose has not only been to document the widespread over-prescription of drugs to children, but the continuing neglect and ignorance of school teachers and officials. More than 100 actual case histories are on file at our headquarters.

THE CRISIS IS REAL

We believe there is a crisis in education when gifted and creative children are found in mental institutions or homes for the retarded. We believe there is a crisis in society when gifted children grow up and are later convicted of crimes because as one eminent psychologist puts it "the years of frustration, denial and treatment as a "freak" finally takes it's toll."

We believe there is a crisis in America when every year children are admitted to hospitals for seizures from overdosing on medication given to them by school consultant physicians. As a result these children become emotionally unbalanced and psychotic after years of being frustrated and abused by a system that refuses to acknowledge their special needs.

ACTIVITIES

Legislation: Like any minority we believe that gifted and creative children need special education and should be entitled to it under the same kind of law that enables the developmentally disabled and other "special populations" to a preferred kind of learning.

PARENTAL GUIDANCE

By organizing parents, the Foundation makes it possible for them to understand that they are not alone; that their children are neither "snobs", nor "misfits" or "freaks". Teaching parents how to help their special needs children is just part of an overall plan of parent counseling.

ADVOCACY

By speaking out responsibly at the local, state and national level, the Foundation tries to influence and educate those individuals responsible for implementing programs and policies that affect gifted and creative children.

SERVICES

Resource Center: The Foundation has established a resource center at its headquarters in Warwick, Rhode Island Since 1969, we have compiled an extensive collection of case histories, technical data, books, articles and materials dealing with the gifted and creative. Our founder and Executive Director, Marie Freidel is an acknowledged authority and is the mother of a gifted child.

TESTING AND COUNSELING

With the aid of nationally recognized authorities in the field of education and childhood psychology/psychiatry the Foundation offers both individualized testing and counseling at nominal fees. A battery of tests recommended to us by Dr. Stanley Krippner, include IQ, creativity, verbal ability and comprehension, emotional stability and brain damage. individualized counseling sessions designed to aid parents and their children in developing attitudes which foster respect of individual differences and enhance creativity are also available.