Skip to content

Education Services within Kirklees.

work[1]

Portage

Portage is a home visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional support needs and their families.

The portage approach provides parents with the answers to two important questions: what to teach? and how to teach it?

You can contact our local service either by telephone at the numbers below or by letter. The Portage Team is also contacted at times by Paediatricians, Health Visitors and GPs.

For more information please contact:

Child & Family Consultation Centre, Temple Road, Dewsbury, WF13 3QD.

Tel: 01924 324850 Fax: 01924 324870 Email: dewsbury.psychology@kirklees.gov.uk

Website: http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/parentsCarers/specialeducation/earlyyearssupport.aspx

Click the link below to read about one family’s experience at the National Portage Association’s Conference 2011:

A Family’s experience of the National Portage Association’s Conference 2011

 

Portex

Portex is available for children aged between 3 and 7 years with additional needs within mainstream school. They work with the child and their teachers on a structured daily teaching programme to support the child’s learning.

They involve the child’s parents in the programme, either through home visits or by inviting them to share fully in the work being done in school

Where necessary, the portex teacher will liaise with any other professional concerned with an individual child. For example, social workers, medical personnel, speech therapists etc.

Referral is usually done by the child’s school.

Benefits  include:

  • Giving parents consistent, regular support in helping their child to learn.
  • Supporting a working partnership between home and school.
  • Encouraging a consistent approach between all involved adults.
  • Regular weekly support for the teacher.
  • Weekly activity charts supporting the teacher and providing a continuous record of progress.
  • A positive, realistic, individualised programme for teacher and pupils is drawn up.
  • Translation and interpretation into other languages can be provided.

Contact:

website: http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/education-learning/portex.shtml

 

Tel: 01924 483744

Email: dewsbury.psychology@kirklees.gov.uk

Address: Educational Psychology and Early Years Team, West Town Boothroyd Green Dewsbury WF13 2RQ.

 

Transition

The transition process should begin when a child with additional needs reaches 13/14. Where a child has had a Statement of Special Educational Needs, the school’s annual review held that year will include Transition Planning. It is good practice for young people on School Action or School Action Plus to have a transition plan, but this is not compulsory. The Connexions service provides support for all people aged 13-19, including people with additional needs but without a statement.

Key points around the transition process:

Person Centred Planning should be carried out to meet the aims of the Valuing People Plan. Person Centred Planning means doing things in a way which meets the needs of the individual, and taking their views into account when decisions are made.

Transfer to Adult Services. Up to 18 years of age the needs of your child are assessed under the Children Act. from the age of 18 there is a transfer to adult services under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. An assessment of a persons needs as a whole is carried out by the Social Services department.

Carers Assessment. As a parent/carer of a young person with additional needs you are also entitled to a carers assessment.

Making decisions. The Mental Capacity Act came into force in 2007 and provides a statutory framework to empower and protect people who may lack the capacity to make some decisions for themselves. One of the key principles is a presumption of capacity unless proved otherwise. The Act also establishes a general right for family members and other carers to be consulted about a person’s best interests. In some circumstances (for example, if there is a dispute about what is in the person’s best interests) it will also be possible for a family member to apply to the new Court of Protection for the power to make decisions about the person’s welfare, finances and certain aspects of their medical care.

Further information can be found at:

Kirklees Learning Disability Partnership Board

Contact a Family

Transition Information Network