Portage Early Education Support Service

Portage service - Helping parents to help their pre-school children

Portage is a home-visiting educational service for children with additional support needs. Portage in West Sussex is funded by West Sussex County Council and is part of the Adults and Children Service.

The service is free to all families within the area.

Families

Portage - working alongside parents offering practical help and ideas to encourage a child's emerging skills. These include moving, learning, playing, being with people and sharing the routine activities of everyday life.

Portage offers a framework of support from which a family can choose whatever is most helpful to them. It is as flexible as each family needs it to be.

Portage respects the ordinary everyday things that families do as being the most important experience for any child.

Children 0-5 years

'Portage values all children and parents, celebrating their unique qualities.'

Portage builds on what the child can do. Referrals can be made by parents or carers, or anyone involved with the child, with the consent of their parent(s) or carer(s). Following a referral, the Portage Coordinator will visit the family to explain in detail what is involved before any commitment is agreed. Families make a choice whether to use the portage service.

Home visitors

All home visitors are fully trained to National Portage Association standards. Home visitors come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many are volunteers. All enjoy working with children and their families. Home visitors decide with parents on activities which can be practised regularly between home visits. The activities are based upon play, grounded in everyday situations, and provide fun and success for the child. Home visitors may leave an activity chart for parents to keep a record of progress. This helps to plan the next small step. Home visitors are supported by a supervisor or educational psychologist, coordinator or teacher and an administrator. Home visitors meet regularly as a team for continuing training and support.

Working together

Therapists and other professionals work together with the families and Portage. The National Portage Association offers guidance, support and registration to all portage services. Portage is named after a town in Wisconsin, USA where the service was developed.

Summary of the services provided to pre-school settings

• Training for pre-school staff,  through early childhood services;
• liaison with pre-schools to support transition;
• consultation and/or support.
  
  

Summary of the services provided to schools

• Liaison with schools to support transition.

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