Welcome to the Tameside Portage Service
What Portage Is
Portage is a home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities) and their families. Portage workers, play a part in minimising the disabling barriers which confront families who have children with SEND.
Portage supports National and Local development of inclusive services for all children. Portage aims to support the acceleration of the development and learning of preschool children who have an identified delay. Tameside Portage service is registered with the National Portage Association.
Children eligible to access Free Entitlement Funding will be expected to take up this offer unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Support Tameside Portage Can Offer Allocated Families
- Home Visits
- Identified small group support held at Family Hubs across the borough
- Regular assessment/review of development e.g. Schedule of Growing Skills Assessment
- Support to families to access Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Support to families to access Free Entitlement Funding (FEF)
- Special events such as swim/soft play sessions
- Support in relation to SEND Pathway
- Transition to Early Years Settings/School
Portage Aims
Portage aims to support the development of young children's play, communication skills, independence, and social skills, and to encourage full participation in day to day life within the family and beyond the home.
We work alongside parents/carers offering support, practical help and ideas to:
- Make learning fun for all the family
- Encourage a child's interests
- Address problematic situations
- Promote development
- Work closely with other involved services
- Engage with parents who are happy to participate and practice agreed activities between Portage visits/group support
- to ensure smooth transition to an Early Years setting or School
Who Can Access The Service
Children who are:
- Aged 0 to 5 Years and have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) e.g. communication difficulties, developmental delay, genetic disabilities
- Live in Tameside
- Are not attending any Early Years setting
How To Refer a Child
Children can be referred to the Portage Service by any Early Years professionals such as a Paediatrician, Health Visitor, or Early Years Worker (with parent’s permission).
If you require a Portage referral form please contact the Portage Team. Please note Parents must be in agreement with the referral.
A Portage Panel will assess need and offer the most appropriate service.