Portage home teaching 

Understanding Portage and how to use it

Portage is a home-based teaching/educational service for pre-school children (under 3 ½ years) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The aim is to help parents and carers support their child's learning.  

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What is a Portage Home Visitor (PHV)?

Portage home visitors:

• are experienced in working with families and children with SEND 

• make learning easier by breaking down skills into small achievable steps 

• devise individual teaching plans to include activities which encourage and promote

  • participation

  • play 

  • communication 

  • independence 

  • learning 

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How does the Portage service work?

• Following referral your child will be offered a play-based assessment within the home to determine suitability for further home visits 

• Our Portage service has various pathways and ways of working with you. The appropriate pathway will be discussed during the assessments 

• Your Portage home visitor will focus on what your child can do and incorporate their interests to develop their skills 

• Your Portage home visitor will visit your home on a weekly basis for a cycle of support sessions (to be discussed during assessment) 

• Your Portage home visitor will prepare a support plan including Long Term Goals and activities to promote learning through play 

• Following the initial cycle of home visits, there will be a break to enable you to practice strategies and activities suggested during the home visits. A further cycle of support may be offered, if deemed appropriate (this will be discussed during the sessions)

• If your child attends nursery or is about to start, the PHV will also visit nursery to share strategies and ensure staff teams understand your child’s individual needs

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Criteria and how to refer

• We have an open referral policy, which means we accept referrals from parents, carers, and professionals. The child must have a home address in Northumberland

• The child must be under 3 ½ years with a significant delay in two (or more) areas of their development, which is impacting upon their learning, or the child has a diagnosed medical condition, which is generally recognised as likely to lead to future significant developmental delay

• Parents and carers must be available to engage in a block of portage home visits and have the desire to practice learning activities and strategies in between visits

Please click here for the Portage referral form.

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