Carer centres and services Bexley Portage Service
Contact us
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Address
Acorns - Children and young person services
Queen Mary's Hospital
Frognall Avenue
Sidcup
Kent
DA14 6LT -
About
Bexley Portage Service team.
Currently there is one full-time Senior Portage Home Visitor, Kelly Wilkinson. The service also has two Portage Home visitors, Nicola Smith and Sarah Ryan. The service is line managed by Tamsin Cox, a Senior Educational Psychologist. There is a Portage Steering Group, which meets termly and it consists of professionals, as well as Parents/Carers. Bexley Portage follows the requirements of the National Portage Association’s Code of Practice. The Senior Portage Home Visitor attends the Child Development Co-ordination Service Business Meetings and Portage Workers also attend C.D.C.S. assessment and planning meetings at Queen Mary’s Hospital. Professional development is encouraged and training is mainly provided by the National Portage Association and Bexley Council.
Family Events
There are also social events for Portage families such as our weekly Fun time at Normandy SEN hub. Parties, Teddy Bears Picnics and Outings. As well as delivering Portage Home Visits, we are keen to develop other aspects of the service, and these have included: Parents/Carers Group, Baby massage, Tac pac, PECS and Intensive Interaction.
Opening times
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm (term-time only).
Catchment area
London Borough of Bexley
Target group
This service is for pre-school children with additional support needs and their families.
Further information
Family EventsThere are also social events for Portage families such as our weekly Fun time at Normandy SEN hub. Parties, Teddy Bears Picnics and Outings. As well as delivering Portage Home Visits, we are keen to develop other aspects of the service, and these have included: Parents/Carers Group, Baby massage, Tac pac, PECS and Intensive Interaction.What will happen once my child is referred?An initial assessment is carried out within 6/8 weeks of referral and advice is given on how parents/carers can help their child enjoy play and make progress. They can also be signposted to other services. Home visits then take place every 4 weeks when families are on the ‘First Steps to Portage’ list. After receiving ‘First Steps to Portage’ for approximately 6-12months, your child will be allocated a Portage practitioner who will then carried out every 2weeks. Each home visit lasts approximately one hour. How is my child’s progress tracked?If appropriate, the child’s current skill level is determined by completion of the Portage Checklist. Other Checklists such as Trackers, G.E.M.S, S.I.P.S, & E.Y.F.S. can also be used for assessment and setting goals. Home Visitors work in partnership with the child’s parents/carers, and together they devise activities that build on the child’s established or emerging skills. The parent/carer carries out the agreed activity daily with their child and progress can be recorded on a chart. Each activity can be broken down into smaller steps to make it more attainable. Portage always looks at what a child can do rather than what they can’t do and this makes it very positive for parents/carers and their children.When will my child stop receiving Portage input?Portage home visits continue until a child is 3 years old and attends a Pre-School/childminding setting. Portage may not be offered if the L.E.A. provides support at home e.g. BEAS.When requested, the Portage Home Visitor will liaise with the nursery to share relevant information regarding the child’s development, making transition easier for the child.Do Portage work as part of a Multi-Disciplinary team?Home Visitors have close links with other agencies involved with their families, such as the Child Development Co-ordination Service, Children’s Centres, Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Health Visitors, Assessment Teachers, Educational Psychologists, Community Nurses and Bexley SNAP. Joint home visits or joint therapy sessions are often undertaken and relevant agencies are invited to our team meetings. We regularly support our children’s within their nursery setting to support staff in meeting the child’s needs.As a service we deliver a two day ‘small steps to learning- through Portage’ workshop for Early Years providers twice a year.Bexley Portage Service operates an open referral system and the criteria for referral are:The family should live within the Borough of Bexley and be willing to participate in the scheme for a minimum of 6 months.The child has a minimum of 6-9 month delay in three or more areas of development, or has a known disability that is likely to cause a delay. The child has a pediatrician or neo-natal specialist.The child has no offer of a Pre-School place (from 3 years of age).The child has no support from the Local Education Authority at home, e.g. BEAS.Do Portage support further referrals and applications?Yes- A child’s allocated home visitor will support the family in further referrals and applications, Including (however, not limited to)· DLA· Family Fund· Family Wellbeing/Family Lives· Children with Disability Service· Health professionals- including- SLT, OT, Physiotherapy, CDCS· Educational Psychology· Play2Learn· EHCP· BUFs· EISAS team
Referral method
Self-referral or referral by other professionals involved.
This information was supplied by Serco Global Services on 30 May 2025.