Portage Service
About the Portage Service
The Portage Service is part of the SEN Inclusion Team and is primarily a home-based teaching service for pre-school children (aged 0-3) with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families living in the Gateshead area. Portage only works into Gateshead homes, pre-school and educational settings.
The Gateshead Council Portage Service is certified and registered with the National Portage Association and all Portage practice is based on the Portage Model - family focus, child-led play and targeted interventions, both 1-1 and in groups.
The team consists of a Lead Practitioner, two senior Portage workers, four Portage workers and three specialist teaching assistants.
The Portage Service team
- Lead Practitioner - Allison Blackbird
- Senior Portage Workers - Sandra Stevenson and Vicki Sanderson
- Portage Workers - Andrea Portlock, Emma Winter, Katrina Leask and Rebecca Eagle
- Portage EY Teaching Assistants - Mary Gosnell, Susan Minnican and Kayleigh Oliver
The aims of the Portage Service
Gateshead Portage Service recognises that parents and primary carers are children's first and most important educators.
Portage aims to:
- work with families to help them develop a quality of life and experience, for themselves and their young children, in which they can learn together, play together, participate and be included in their community in their own right.
- play a part in minimising the disabling barriers that confront young children and their families.
- support the national and local development of inclusive services for children.
Referral process
Referrals are made to the Gateshead 0-4 Referral Meeting which meets fortnightly during term-time and has multi-agency representation.
Gateshead 0-4 Referral Form (PDF, 527 KB)(opens new window)
0-4 Referral Meeting - information for parents/carers
Eligibility criteria
- Pre-school children who have a significant delay in two or more areas of their development (or a diagnosis which may predict such difficulties.)
- Pre-school children with the most significant developmental difficulties not accessing other pre-school provision will be given priority.
- Pre-school children who are experiencing difficulty with social communication and interaction.
Please ensure that you have reviewed the appropriate Early Years Advice and Guidance before submitting a 0-4 referral. Guidance can be found in the LINT professionals toolkit.
Once a referral has been made
Following a referral to the service, a triage appointment will be arranged. During the appointment an assessment of the child and family's needs will be made, and an intervention plan agreed.
During an initial assessment period (6 visits), a Portage worker will visit the home/nursery on a fortnightly basis. Together, parents/carers and the Portage worker will plan activities to encourage and promote the child's development. Home visits will consist of the three elements of the NPA Portage Model:
- child-led play
- specialist 'small steps' teaching
- family focus
There are four possible interventions following an appropriate referral and initial assessment:
- Core Portage
- Portage Plus
- Portage Groups
- Enhanced Portage
Core Portage
This intervention is for pre-school children with profound and multiple learning difficulties or significant social interaction and communication difficulties requiring a multi-disciplinary, multi-sensory approach.
The Portage worker and parents/carers will discuss and develop an individual action plan. Then together, they will plan and review appropriate play activities on a fortnightly basis. An appropriate tool will be used for initial and continuing summative assessment so that progression can be monitored. Babies and children seen within the Core Portage offer often have other specialist services involved particularly, vision/hearing impairment teams, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. To ensure a holistic approach to learning and development, the Portage worker will, whenever possible, carry out joint home visits with the agencies involved. After an agreed period, assessment and evaluation will take place to determine if Core Portage is still appropriate, or if an alternative Portage intervention can best meet the needs of the child and family.
Portage Plus
This time-limited intervention is for children and families who, following an initial visit, are assessed as not meeting the criteria for the higher level of intervention offered in Core Portage. Portage workers will carry out an intensive, short-term block of home or nursery visits to identify appropriate strategies and ensure reasonable adjustments are in place to promote inclusive practice. Following this a Learning Profile is devised, incorporating strategies to help parents/carers and early years practitioners to support the child's learning and development.
Portage Groups
The Gateshead Portage Service recognises the importance of working closely with multi-agency partners to develop and deliver intervention through group work for babies, children and their families. Children referred to the Portage Service will be able to access the following groups, with or without, other Portage interventions. Parents/carers have responsibility for arranging transport and travelling to these groups with their child.
- Little Stars - By invitation only, a specialised therapy group, run in partnership with physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy. This group aims to provide an opportunity for parents/carers and children to learn together through music, song, movement and play activities. Outside agencies also offer advice and support where necessary.
- I Can Do - By invitation only, time limited group for children promoting the development of early communication skills. This group is run jointly with SEN SaLT.
- Ladybird - By invitation only, for children who require a total communication approach, including Makaton. This group is run jointly with SEN SaLT.
- Sunbeams - By invitation only a playgroup primarily for children with social communication and interaction difficulties.
Enhanced Portage
Enhanced Portage is time limited and by invitation only. It will be offered on very few occasions. Children accessing this offer will have profound and multiple learning difficulties, complex health needs which impacts on the ability of a mainstream nursery to provide safe and accessible learning opportunities. Enhanced Portage will take place in conjunction with special school colleagues within a Gateshead specialist provision. * NB. This does not guarantee or indicate a school place will be allocated at the given provision.
Additional support from Portage might include:
- providing educational advice as part of the statutory assessment process
- offering ongoing advice and guidance around individual children to both PVI and educational settings (this can increase prior to and during the transition process). This may include a weekly session to model appropriate strategies and approaches.
- improving opportunities for families to receive a seamless, holistic service through the facilitation of the multi-disciplinary team i.e. regular joint intervention visits
- providing signposting and assisting with applications where the need arises for example DLA, charitable applications for toys and equipment
- working jointly with colleagues in Child development Clinic and providing information to inform ASD pathway
- facilitate training for parents i.e. Portage approach, Makaton etc
Portage/SaLT Pathway
The Portage/SaLT Pathway is a joint initiative with Health to facilitate the development of a child's early communication and interaction skills. This involves Senior Portage staff and the Speech and Language Therapists (SaLT) providing parent carer training and workshops and individual joint assessment with children and as a result introducing the appropriate strategies and interventions which the Portage worker will then model on home visits with the family. Portage and the SaLTs meet half-termly to review progress and plan the next steps accordingly.
Quality Assurance
The Gateshead Portage Service adheres to the Code of Practice and Code of Ethics set out by the NPA to ensure quality of service. The NPA provides and monitors training courses and professional development opportunities for Portage Workers ensuring that all meet national standards with regard to qualifications, knowledge and expertise.
How Portage supports the family - the Portage Approach
- The keystone of all Portage practice is partnership placing children and families at the centre and working with parents/carers as partners and lead educators.
- Portage supports parents and practitioners to use a small steps approach to learning, breaking down long term goals into achievable targets that are practical, immediate and relevant for the whole child, family and community.
- By building on abilities and strengths rather than focusing on difficulties, Portage supports families in looking forward, with small step targets planned to celebrate success.
- Portage workers aim to empower parents/carers to make informed choices about their child's development whilst supporting them to feel confident in their own abilities.
- Enables learning and development through play experiences.
- Partnership extends to multi-agency working with all involved with the child and family. We promote and facilitate multi-disciplinary liaison to ensure a co-ordinated response to a child's individual needs.
- Celebrates achievements with the child and their families.
- Supports transition into nursery through liaison with parents, setting and any other agencies involved.
- Offers Portage sessions to children in settings which through modelling builds capacity, promotes inclusivity in settings and develops staff knowledge and experience to reduce barriers to learning.
Information for schools and settings
For documents to support children in the early years see LINT professionals toolkit. More resources can be found in the support organisations directory.
Information for families
Our support organisations directory has been developed to provide links to organisations who can support those with SEND and their families.
Contacts
Allison Blackbird
Lead Portage Practitioner
If you have any queries, email [email protected]