Portage Service
The Portage Inclusion and Advisory Service is a Home-visiting Educational Service for pre-school children (aged 0-4 years) with special educational needs or a disability (SEND) and their families, who live in Wandsworth. It is part of the Early Years Inclusion Service.
Portage offers support to parents whose children are aged 0-4 years and have a delay in two or more areas of development, one of which is a cognitive delay of approximately 6 months or a diagnosis which is known to affect development.
Portage works in partnership with parents and carers of disabled children through fun play sessions, and breaking learning into small steps to help parents support their child’s development in all areas of learning:
- play skills,
- sensory skills,
- physical skills,
- communication,
- cognition- thinking and learning,
- imagination,
- social and self help skills.
The Portage Inclusion Advisors work as part of a wider multi-professional team to support families. This may include medical professionals, therapists, social workers, voluntary services, educational settings, and colleagues from the Early Years Inclusion Advisory Service and wider SEND & Inclusion Services.
If you think your child would benefit from Portage, a health professional who knows your child can complete the referral form attached to this page and send to victoria.hall@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk or call Vicki Hall 020 8871 7129 for more information. Parents can self refer by phone or email.
When referrals are accepted Portage will contact the family and arrange an initial visit to explain Portage teaching methods (a small steps approach to learning). A Portage Inclusion Advisor is then allocated, and the parents receive regular home visits to support the development of their child's play and learning. Portage also offer 1:1 and group play sessions at the SEND & Inclusion Hub and support to parents to find an appropriate nursery early years education place for their child and prepare and support with the transition into nursery.
Who to contact
- Contact Name
- Vicki Hall
- Telephone
- 07866 119 251
- victoria.hall@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk
- Parent Organisation
- Early Years SEND Inclusion Service
Where to go
- Name
- SEND and Inclusion Hub (SIH)
- Address
-
1 Siward Road
Earlsfield
London
- Postcode
- SW17 0LA
- Get directions
Time / Date Details
- When is it on
- Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
Costs
- Details
- Free to families living in the Wandsworth Borough
Availability
- Age Ranges
- 3 months - 3 1/2 years
- Referral Details
The service is available for children until they attend a pre school setting for 5 half days per week (or equivalent). The service can only be offered to families living in the Borough of Wandsworth.
Parents can contact the Portage Service on 020 8871 7129 if they think their child would benefit from Portage, or a professional such as a Health Visitor can complete the referral form attached to this page and to: victoria.hall@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk
When referrals are accepted the Senior Portage Inclusion Advisor will contact the family and arrange an initial visit to explain Portage teaching methods. A Portage home visitor is then allocated and the parents receive regular home visits to support the development of their child's play and learning. Portage Home Visitors also offer support to parents to find an appropriate nursery or Childminder for their child and prepare for the transition into nursery.
- Other notes
Complaints about this service: Initially these should be addressed to the Portage worker involved. In the case of any complaints that cannot be resolved in this way, these should be directed to the Portage Senior Officer.
Further queries should then be directed to the lead Early Years Inclusion Advisor.
- Related links
-
National Portage Association
Local Offer
- Description
What is Wandsworth’s Local Offer ?
To access this service:
- Professionals working in the community can refer to the service through the referral form attached to this page and sending it to complexneeds@wandsworth.gov.uk
- Paediatricians can refer with a developmental report and letter
- Parents can self-refer by contacting the Portage Team Lead on 020 8871 7129 or 07866119251
How to complain, compliment or feedback about this service, activity or provider.
- Local Offer Age Bands
- Early Years (0-4 years)
Last updated: 12 Sep 2023
