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Portage is a home-based early education programme for pre-school children with significant developmental delay.
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Portage Home Visitors specialise in breaking down developmental aims into small, achievable steps. This helps children who may be having difficulty achieving specific skills in key areas. In order to help children through these steps, learning activities are planned for a child based on his or her current strengths and agreed priority areas of development.
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The Portage Service aims to help parents/carers to teach new skills to their children. Portage workers support parents/carers in their role as the key figures in the care and development of their child, and as such Portage workers aim to help parents to be confident in this role, supporting their child’s development whatever their child’s needs may be.
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Visits are weekly or fortnightly, during term time, depending on the family’s other commitments.
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Equipment/toys can be loaned to enhance specific learning outcomes.
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Portage Workers work in close liaison with other professionals to ensure a seamless service. They undertake joint visits and planning where appropriate. They also attend Multi- Disciplinary Reviews at the Cheyne Child Development Service.
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Portage workers support a child’s transition into nursery, liaising with the receiving placement regarding the child’s development and helping to write Individual Education Plans.