Services for Young Children
The role of the Portage Home Visitor
Portage Home Visitors:
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Use professional skills, knowledge and experience of child development to assess, set targets and promote the development of pre-school children with special educational needs, through partnership with parents/carers and early years practitioners.
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Use knowledge of behaviour management strategies to promote skills to parents and a range of early years settings to prevent exclusion or pre-school children who have been identified as requiring Portage Plus.
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Provide an outreach service to early years settings to support children identified as having additional needs at ’Early Years Action Plus'
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Initiate and/or contribute to transitional planning meetings, to ensure a smooth transition of children into school - including responsibility for initiating the Inclusion Partnership Agreement (IPA).
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Problem solve with parents/carers to develop and undertake activities matched to the special educational needs of the child.
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Empower and facilitate learning to enable parents/carers to promote their child’s development.
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Refer to other services as appropriate, including to help prevent the risk of family breakdown.
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Produce informative, detailed and accurate reports, at least six monthly long term goals to be shared with a wide range of professionals working with the Portage child, including early years settings.
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Act as Lead Professional / Key Worker / CAF completer as required.
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Provide support groups as identified by local needs.
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Use knowledge and experience of child protection and implement appropriate procedures as required. Attend Child Protection Reviews / Case Conferences and/or produce supporting reports.