Portage Practitioner

Role Responsibility

Kent Portage Service supports children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

We are looking to recruit a Portage Practitioner, to work across South Kent, based at the Rainbow Centre in Ashford.

This is an exciting opportunity to play an active and central role in supporting children’s development using the Portage Small Steps Approach. Delivering Portage Groups in central locations and Home Learning Sessions for children aged 0-5 and their families. The Home Learning sessions are delivered using a blended offer of virtual and face to face sessions. These sessions are offered within the family’s home, via teams and with some opportunity for home working.

The core elements of the role include:

- Developing play activities based on the child’s level and interests.

- Completing assessments of the child’s development.

- The completion of developmental reports for families and other professionals based on the Portage profile. 

- Chairing and attending professional meetings.

- Working in partnership with families and other agencies.

- Using the small steps approach to plan learning experiences.

- Working closely with educational settings to support the child’s transition and to share     strategies and regular updates.

- Delivering Portage Groups and Home Learning Sessions.

- Delivering sessions face to face and virtually using MS teams.

You will need to demonstrate experience of working with very young children and children with additional needs and their families. Be able to evidence how you can respond and extend play opportunities based around the child’s current development level and individual need.

In addition, good interpersonal, organisational, IT and communication skills are essential.  This role is coordinated and supported by the Portage Officers.

Successful candidates will need to attend the Accredited Portage three-day Training Workshop with the opportunity to then complete the National Portage Association Level 3 in Portage Practice.

This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence- the council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the job holder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification. 

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.