Portage- info, ideas, experiences pls

[signandsay]

just come to the top of the portage list, so we get worker after easter, know vaguely kind of stuff they are supposed to do, anyone got useful experience, things to recommend, or ask about,.....

DS 3.5 ish yrs, Mod LD and possible ASD,

thanks

Have fun, most of all!

You'll find it will be targetted towards skills your ds needs to work on.

Portage for us ranged from trying to make her smile (yes, really!) to noise making and hand-over-hand manipulation skills.

You'll get "homework" to do over the following week (repetitions of the exercise), and if you need help with other pre-school dc's while you're trying to do the portage, then ask for a Homestart volunteer.

Does your DS do 5 session per week at preschool? If so, you may find that you only qualify for portage outreach. At least that's the way my area works. So DD was on the WL from 2.9, so qualified for portage(home), but by the time she reached the WL top, she was doing her 12.5 hours of preschool so then only qualified for portage(outreach). Having said that, it is still absolutely fab.

Our portage worker comes into preschool once or twice per half-term, depending on what is going on with DD1. So far this half-term, she has been in twice, as DD2 started preschool & she is heavily influenced by DD1. So the Portage worker is helping the preschool with strategies to stop DD1 causing DD2 to copy her.

Portage have been instrumental in giving strategies like visual timetables, special jobs to direct DD1 in transition times, ensuring makaton is used through the whole preschool session, etc.

We got our portage worker shortly after DS2 turned 2 and concentrated on play skills and manipulative skills - so lots of little shape sorters and form boards with noisy or pretty stuff used as rewards. He soon learnt that if he did his jigsaw, or whatever, really quickly, the fun things would happen sooner!

Even though she was lovely, DS2 took a long time to warm to his worker. After about 6 months, he was secured an early nursery place, so she was no longer involved with him.

Thanks, guys,

Lou, DS only does 2 sess pre school, (one more in spec needs group, but as that's charitable (parent led) org we have to pay, so doesn't count,
he is down for two more groups one after easter, (which I think will be soc comm group, but waiting details), other starting after summer hols, so should be fine to get at home.

thanks for info, she sounded really nice on the phone yest, so hoping for good relationship, and will be sooooo welcome to get some planned work to do, rather than the 'your'e a social worker, do what you think best' response I have had from some.!

That's great!

We'ce had some, and found it interesting and helpful, although DS doesn't like his worker. But I think that's because sh emakes him work hard!

My/dd's portage worker is great, we get 2 visits a week (one at school and one at home), she gives great advice regarding dd2's future schooling, education, she helps with PEC's and signing and brings some great activities for dd2 to do (things you cant find in the shops). She does work dd2 hard and dd2 is always tired when she has been to the house (which is good as its the one day i get an early night). I will miss it when dd starts school.

We've just started with portage - today was the first 'session' - she came to meet us last week.

She is lovely though DS2 is still taking a while to get used to her, as others have said. She said that the first few weeks are her just getting to know what he likes/can do/etc & him getting used to her.
Plus we have to work through some big checklist thing over the next few weeks.
She is happy to come with us to any playgroup/activity sessions we do but atm i find DS2 is overwhelmed by most places so is better off with just her at home.

She's leant us some 'switch' toys for this week and has offered a bubble tube from next week (hopefully), really looking forward to that.

(DS2 is 2.1 had IS, Temporal Resection Dec 09, developmentally delayed)

This is why I love this forum,

After hearing how tired others get after portage, ( and knowing that DS had an awful aft at preschool Wed cos we saw a friend Wed morn as well) I have re arranged the slot for a free day, for when we start after easter (well, created a free day by cancelling his day at childminders,) this is good for him....

but... it was my only day for work, I have taken a year off from teaching one group (and kept one part time teaching job, only 6 hrs a week), but with portage and new soc comm group in addition to SN group, and couple of sess at preschool I am gonna have to actually drop the job, (unless employers give me another year off till DS at school) and then claim carer's allowance, hoping to still keep the 6 hr one.

Am I horrid to resent it a bit, feel I should be being very grateful for the opportunities for DS ( and I am) but there are so many appointments and sessions in different places....

Well, you have to think of it as an investment in your ds while he is at a young age.
Things should hopefully settle down when he gets to school (How can I say that after this last week when Wednesday was the only day we were NOT in hospital for appointments!?!)