Welcome to the Portage Team's page, we hope it provides a clear overview of our work and any information you are looking for.
Bradford Portage is a registered service with the
National Portage Association www.portage.org.uk
Portage is a home visiting educational service for pre-school aged children with additional support needs and their families. Alongside Portage Home Visiting we also run a number of Portage Education Groups around the Bradford District.
The Team provides a service to children and their parents/carers, including:
- Partnership working with parents and carers
- Information and support to parents and carers
- Portage home visits following the Portage Early Education model through play based activities
- Liaison and joint working with other agencies involved with the child
- Training and support for individuals and for groups of staff including delivery of the Portage Workshop: A Small Steps Approach to learning for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
- Support for transitions into settings, nurseries, schools
- Advice, information and signposting on benefits, services and charities.
- Social activities for children and their parents and carers.
Bradford Portage referral criteria:
A six month developmental delay in two areas of learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Areas of learning: Communication. Personal, social and emotional development. Cognition (thinking). Physical development.
Referral
Anyone can refer to Portage using the
Portage referral form. Following referral families will receive a welcome letter and be placed on the waiting list. Once they reach the top of the waiting list, the family will be contacted by a member of the Portage team to discuss their Portage offer
options.
Bradford Portage offer:
Portage works flexibly to meet the needs of children and families. The offer is subject to change.
Our core offer is:
- Children aged 0 – 2 can receive up to 12 Portage home visits or group sessions.
- Children aged 2 - 3 who are not accessing funded early education can receive up to 12 Portage home visits or group sessions.
- Children aged 2 -3 who are accessing funded early education can receive up to 6 Portage home visits. Due to current wait times, children aged under 33 months at point of referral will be placed on the waiting list for home visits.
- Children aged 3 – 5 can receive up to 8 sessions in a Portage education group. Due to current wait times, children aged over 33 months at point of referral will be placed on the group waiting list.
Following completion of 12 home visits or groups sessions. Further group sessions may be offered if further support is required. This is dependent on places being available.
- Children aged 0-5 who are medically vulnerable and cannot access an educational setting or Portage group can receive up to 12 home visits. A re-referral may be considered if further support is required.
Useful Documents
Contacts:
Bradford Portage Service
5th Floor
Margaret McMillan Tower
Princes Way
Bradford
BD1 1NN
Tel: 01274 439500
Portage.Team@bradford.gov.uk
https://localoffer.bradford.gov.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/Bradford-Portage-Service-464703490258690/
Portage Team Manager: Janine Wood
Portage Home Visitors: Kerry Cawley, Wakhida Akhtar, Erum Iqbal, Lisa Haley, Lucy Rowley, Suzanne Palmer, Charlene Hamilton, Christine Browne, Lucy Collins, Sarah Jamieson