Portage Service

Portage is a scheme for teaching pre-school children with special educational needs, new and useful skills in their own homes. The basis of Portage is weekly home visiting, with the Portage worker and the parents/carers working together. The name Portage comes from a town in Wisconsin, USA, where the home teaching scheme was initially developed and evaluated. In England, there are more than 200 Portage Services each supported by a regional branch of the National Portage Association.

In Lincolnshire there are eight Portage Teams funded by Lincolnshire County Council through the Education and Cultural Services Directorate. Financial resources are placed in eight special schools countywide to promote, develop and maintain the work of the Portage Teams across Lincolnshire.

The Portage Home Visitor works with parents in their home because young children initially learn best in the security of their own home with the people who know them. The Portage Home Visitor visits the family at home weekly or fortnightly and plans activities with the parents/carers. Every activity is written down, as is every success. Each child’s progress is reviewed at least every three months and the need for ongoing Portage is discussed.

Portage is a home visiting educational service for pre-school children with special educational needs. These may be pre-school children who have learning difficulties, delays in their development and/or physical difficulties. The Portage Teams aim to help families by working with them in their home, helping them to meet the needs of their child.

Children can be referred from birth by parents/carers or any agency involved with the child such as health visitors, general practitioners, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists, physiotherapists, paediatricians etc.

Who to contact

Contact Name
See local area portage for contact details

Other Details

Local Offer

This service is listed for your information. Its inclusion on the Family Services Directory does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by Lincolnshire County Council. For more information, go to Terms & Conditions

Actions

Add to shortlist
Is this information correct?

Last Updated

Last updated:

Skip back to top of page