Portage Home Teaching

The Bury Portage Home Teaching Team is accredited by the National Portage Association. The team has a wide range of skills and experiences in working with babies and children with LDD up to school age and their families.

Bury Portage Home Teaching Team works within the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) and the Portage Curriculum. The team aims to develop a child's socialisation, self help, physical, cognitive and language skills.

The team provides home visits where long term developmental goals, broken into small tasks, are set with the family. Portage Home Visitors will also seek to liaise with other professionals, eg Speech and Language Therapist, involved with the child to incorporate their advice into these goals. Progress is monitored regularly and a six monthly report provided.

Portage Home Visitors are also able to offer support to families when choosing a suitable nursery/school. When a child is placed in a Local Authority school or nursery, Portage will normally cease, however support to parents or schools/nurseries in the first half term is available to ensure a smooth transition. This is often undertaken with the collaboration of the Children and Extended Services Team (CEST) and other professionals.

The team provide a play opportunity and parental contact on a regular basis. There is also a well stocked toy library.

Referral routes

There is an open referral system with parental permission. The majority of referrals come from Health Visitors, Doctors and Therapists from the Child Development Centre at Fairfield Hospital. Parents can also refer themselves and their child.

The criteria for referral is the child should be aged between 0 and 5 years with a developmental delay in any area. An initial visit is made by the Senior Portage Worker who will, with the parent, decide on suitability for the Service.

The Bury Portage Home Teaching Team comprises:

• 1 part time Senior Portage Worker;
• 1 full time Portage Worker;
• 2 part time Portage workers.

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