Laying the foundations for Portage services to develop in new
areas across England
The National Portage Association (NPA) is delighted to announce that it has recently
tendered for and secured a 2 year government contract ‘To sustain and develop
the Portage workforce across England’. The transition from relying on grants to
securing a national contract marks an important step in the charity’s mission to
improve the learning of young children with disabilities, and the skills of their parents,
through providing quality training and support for Portage home visitors and the early
years workforce.
In England there are currently 123 Portage services registered with the NPA. Most,
but not all, are funded and delivered by local authorities. In areas where Portage is
available, feedback from families of young children (0 – 5 years) with disabilities
consistently emphasises the high value that they put on the practical and emotional
support that they get from their weekly Portage home visits.
Unfortunately there are still areas of England where Portage is not available. The
new government contract, therefore, is a real cause for celebration. It emphasises
the increasing national prominence that Portage is being given as an effective
method of supporting very young disabled children and their families. It underlines
the value of the work that is being done by existing Portage services. It endorses the
work that the NPA has been doing in extending Portage training to members of the
wider early years workforce, and encouraging them to adopt the Portage principles in
their settings. It opens up opportunities for Portage training to be offered in new
areas, and it lays the foundations for new Portage services to develop so that
families and children in those areas can benefit.
Portage is a highly successful home educational and support service. NPA trained
Portage home visitors work in partnership with parents and carers. Together, they
offer a combination of structured “small steps” teaching and child led play. Emphasis
is also given to making sure that the family feel well supported in meeting the needs
of their child.
Over the last few years the NPA and its accredited trainers have trained an
increasing number of Children’s Centre staff, health professionals and other
members of the wider early years workforce using its Portage Basic Workshop. The
positive feedback, elicited some months after the initial training, show that they
continue to use Portage skills, principles and techniques when working with children
and families within their own work settings.
Through the new contract, and building on this success, the NPA aims to:
NPA Contract 2013-2015 – Media briefing document
June 2013
Provide three levels of Portage training.

In areas with no current access to Portage, regional Portage awareness
workshops will be available for early years practitioners, early years
professionals, local authority early years leads, health professionals and other
members of the pre-school workforce.

Free Basic Portage Workshop places will be available for 240 early years
practitioners.

The NPA’s bank of accredited Portage trainers will increase by making “train a
trainer” sessions available.
Provide support for the early years workforce.

Local hubs of Portage expertise will be developed, enabling good practice to
be collated and shared.

A peer mentorship programme will draw together experienced Portage home
visitors and newly trained practitioners.

Case studies will be available to promote the benefits of Portage and to
demonstrate the diverse ways in which Portage can be developed.
Collect Portage data and reports.

A labour market report will be written to provide up to date information about
the Portage workforce.

A further report will be prepared to outline the plan for a self-sustaining
Portage training model.
The new contract therefore provides strategic opportunities for existing Portage
services and trainers to promote use of the Portage principles in new areas. When
the free entitlement for two year olds with disabilities starts in September 2014, this
will support better outcomes for children and families. It will also lay the foundations
for new Portage services to develop so that a greater number of children and
families can receive the benefits.
NPA Contract 2013-2015 – Media briefing document
June 2013