Barnsley Education Inclusion Services
About us
We're qualified Early Years (EY) practitioners experienced in both child development and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and have undertaken professionally recognised training to enable us to practice as Portage workers. Barnsley Portage Service is a registered service with the National Portage Association (NPA) and we work to a professional NPA Code of Practice.
Meet the team
Our team is made up of:
- Principal Educational Psychologist:
- Joanne Patterson (team manager)
- Portage Practitioner:
- Sheradene Faver
- Kate Bray
- Ebony Wilkinson
What we do
Barnsley Portage Service work together with parents/carers to provide home-based development and learning support for children aged 0 to 4 years who are not yet accessing an educational setting.
Children referred to portage have been identified as having a delay in their development and/or additional needs which may be special educational needs. We work collaboratively with families, services and settings to facilitate early identification of needs to reduce barriers to learning and support development at the earliest opportunity.
How we work
Our work is underpinned by the portage principles, of which working in partnership with children and families is fundamental. We offer a needs-led service providing regular home visits by a trained portage worker. We work together with parents and carers to identify relevant child-centred goals and implement a small steps approach to development and learning that builds on children’s strengths. We model and build on play and interactions for parents/carers to practice at home that support their child’s progress.
We work within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and a developmental journal is used with parents/carers to monitor and record progress and plan next steps. Portage work in partnership with parents/carers to prepare and plan for their child’s transition into a setting. We provide outcome focused reports informed by parent/carers views that support transition through a shared understanding of needs and strengths and strategies to achieve progress towards outcomes. We offer portage groups for families as a chance for children to learn through play alongside other children and for families to share and build on their expertise as educators of their children.
Portage work with other services within Education Inclusion Services (EIS) to build capacity in early years settings through a centralised training offer.
How to access portage
Portage work with children aged between 0 and 4 years who have been identified by professionals already involved with the family, as having a delay in their development and/or as having additional needs. Portage work with children who are not yet accessing a 15 hour or more funded place in an educational setting.
Children are usually referred to the service by health or social care professionals who may already be working with the family. Referrals can be made by completing our portage referral form and emailing it to us at educationinclusionservices@barnsley.gov.uk.
When we receive a referral we'll make contact with parents/carers to discuss portage and possible involvement with our service
For more information
What people say about us
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My child has come on developmentally a lot more since the involvement of portage. Our portage worker is really approachable and has an in-depth knowledge of my child’s needs.
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Our portage worker has been brilliant in helping us to track our daughter’s progress and in helping us understand the next steps to work on.
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My child’s transition into nursery has been made so much easier due to having portage involvement.
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In a country where I don’t know anybody, don’t have any mother or sister or friend, having portage made me feel like I am not alone in parenting my child - like I have someone for me.
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Working with Portage has made us feel more comfortable about the transition to nursery knowing they have a full report of our son’s strengths and needs.
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The portage worker checked the report with us at every stage making sure we are happy with what has been written. We know the report will be useful for nursery staff to help understand our child’s needs.