- 1. THE PORTAGE MODEL: AN INTERNATIONAL HOME APPROACH TO EARLY
INTERVENTION OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES
2. WHAT IS THE PORTAGE MODEL THE PORTAGE PROGRAMME IS HOME-BASED
TEACHING PROGRAMME FOR CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO FOUR WHO HAVE SPECIAL
NEEDS. THE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT NEW SKILLS AND PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE
SHOWN HOW TO STIMULATE THEIR CHILDS OVERALL DEVELOPMENT. THE
PORTAGE PROGRAMME WAS ORGINALLY DEVELOPED IN THE MID 1970S IN
PORTAGE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A THE MODEL WAS ORGINALLY CREATED IN
RESPONSE TO THE NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN A RURAL COMMUNITY TO
YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. PORTAGE IS KNOWN FOR EARLY
INTERVENTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF INTERVENTION SYSTEMS IN THE
COMMUNITY OF ITS ORGIN. 3. THE NATIONAL PORTAGE ASSOCIATION THE
NATIONAL PORTAGE ASSOCIATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1983 TO OFFER
SUPPORT AND INFORMATION TO PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN
PORTAGE AND HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN SUPPORT TO
YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES SINCE THEN. THE ASSOCIATION
BECAME A CHARITABLE COMPANY IN 2001 WITH BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ELECTED
FROM AMONGST THE MEMBERS TO MANAGE ITS BUSINESS, MONITER STANDARDS
OF TRAINING AND SERVICE DELIVERY AND OVERSEE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENTS. 4. THE ASSOCIATION AIMS TO: WORK WITH FAMILIES TO
HELP THEM DEVELOP A QUALITY OF LIFE AND EXPERIENCE FOR THEMSELVES
AND THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN IN WHICH THEY CAN LEARN TOGETHER. PLAY
TOGETHER, PARTICIPATE AND BE INCLUDED IN THEIR COMMUNITY IN THEIR
OWN RIGHT. PLAY A PART IN MINIMISING THE DISABLING BARRIERS THAT
CONFRONT THE YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RECEIVING PORTAGE
SERVICES. SUPPORT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE
SERVICES FOR CHILDREN. 5. LARGELY FUNDED BY MEMBERS SUBSCRIPTIONS
AND DONATIONS, THE N.P.A OPERATES THROUGHOUT THE UK COVERING THE
SIX REGIONS: EASTERN , LONDON AND SOUTH EAST, MIDLANDS, NORTHERN,
NORTH EAST AND SOUTH WEST INCLUDING WALES AND OVERSEAS. ACTIVITIES
AND STUDY DAYS IN EACH REGION ARE COORDINATED BY AN ELECTED
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE WHO IS AVAILABLE TO OFFER ADVICE AND
SUPPORT TO NEW PORTAGE SERVICES AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS AND TO HELP
WITH THE PLANNING OF SOCIAL AND PUBLICITY EVENTS. 6. MAIN BELIEVES
OF THE PORTAGE PROGRAMME PARENTS KNOW THEIR OWN CHILDREN BEST AND
ARE THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN. THE
HOME OR OTHER RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENTS ARE NATURAL AND SIGNIFICANT
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. INTERVENTION OBJECTS AND STRATEGIES MUST BE
INDIVIDUALIZED FOR EACH CHILD AND FAMILY BASED ON THEIR CONCERNS.
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE CHILDREN FIRST, WITH THE SAME NEEDS
AND RIGHTS AS ALL CHILDREN. ALL CHILDREN SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO
ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE INTERVENTION IS
THE MOST EFFECTIVE. 7. PORTAGE GUIDE TO EARLY CHILD EDUCATION
CURRICULUM REPORTING FORMAL INFORMAL CURRICULU M
ONGOINGREPORTINGPRECISION TEACHING METHODHOME-TEACHING PROCESS
REPORTINGCOMONENTS OF THE PORTAGE MODEL 8. THE ROLE OF THE PARENT
IN THE PORTAGE MODEL SUCCESS IN USING THE MODEL RELIES HEAVILY ON
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN
WITH DISABILITIES. FAMILY AND PARENT INVOLVEMENT HAS TO BE
IMPLEMENTED AND ACCEPTED IN OR ORDER TO ACTIVELY FACILITATE THEIR
CHILDS DEVELOPMENT. THE PARENTS MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND THAT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD IS SEQUENTIAL IN NATURE. THEY MUST BELIEVE
THAT THE CHILDS DEVELOPMENT CAN BE INFLUENCED BY THEIR EFFORTS. 9.
TEACHING AND MODELLING BY THE HOME TEACHER HELPS PARENT AND CHILD
TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL STYLE 10. HOME INTERVENTION
WORKERS MAKE CONTACT WITH FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO FOUR
YEARS OLD WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING DIFFICULTIES.
INFORMALLY ASSESS THE CHILDS COGNITIVE, MOTOR, SOCIALIZATION,
LANGUAGE, AND SELF-HELP SKILLS. TEAM WITH PARENTS/GUARDIANS WITH
OTHER RELEVANT SERVICE PROVIDERS TO PLAN DEVELOPMENTALLY
APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES. MAKE REGULAR HOME VISITS. CONTINUALLY
MONITER AND EVALUATE PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAMME. 11. THE
PORTAGE HOME VISITATION MODEL CONTAC T AND RAPPOR T BUILDIN
GOBSERVATION AND ASSESSMENT (ONGOING)HOME VISITOR OBTAINS
POSTBASELINEHOME VISITOR ACTIVITY PLANNINGPRESENTS NEW ACTIVITY AND
RECORDS BASELINEREPORTINGHOME-TEACHINGPROCESSPARENT MODELS NEW
ACTIVITYPARENTS WORKS WITH CHILD DURING WEEK AND RECORDSPARENT AND
HOME VISITOR REVIEW ACTIVITY AND RECORDING 12. Direct Intervention
Activities 25-35 MinutesWHO: Parent, Home Visitor, Child WHAT:
Activities directed at specific skill acquisition in all component
areas. REVIEW DEMONSTRATION PRACTICE DISCUSSION HOW: The
Home-Teaching ProcessInformal Activities 30-35 MinutesWHO: Parent,
Child, Siblings, Home Visitor WHAT: Activities to facilitate
creative expression in the child, opportunity for spontaneous
teaching and expansion of skill acquisition through: MAINTENANCE
GENERALIZATION INCORPORTION INTO DAILY ROUTINESParent and Family
Activities 20-30 MinutesWHO: Parent, Home Visitor WHAT: Parents and
home visitors work together in: DETERMINING NEEDS EXPANDING PARENTS
KNOWLEDGE BASE ENHANCING PROBLEMSOLVING ABILITIESHOW: This is
accomplished by: 1. Planning Weekly Curriculum Activities HOW:
Through activities such as 2. Starting Needed Information art,
music, nature walks, meals, 3. Developing Strategies for bath time,
and so on. Dealing With Family Concerns 13. EXAMPLES OF CARDS FOUND
IN THE PORTAGE GUIDE TO EARLY EDUCATIONCOGNITIVE 68 AGE 4-5 TITLE:
RECALLS 4 OBJECTS SEEN IN A PICTURE WHAT TO DO: 1. LOOK AT PICTURE
FROM A BOOK, MAGAZINE OR CATALOGUE. COVER PICTURE AND ASK CHILD TO
TELL WHAT HE SAW. 2. IF THE CHILD HAS DIFFICULTY REMEMBERING, GIVE
CLUES, I.E. IT WAS AN ANIMAL THAT SAYS BOW-WOW. 3. HAVE CHILD LOOK
AT THE PICTURE FOR 30 SECONDS. TURN PICTURE OVER AND ASK CHILD TO
TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A HOUSE, CAR, CAT, PERSON, TREE,
ETC. IN THE PICTURE. 4. INITIALLY USE VERY SIMPLE PICTURES WITH
ONLY ONE OR TWO ITEMS ON THEM. GRADUALLY USE MORE COMPLEX PICTURES.
5. SHOW CHILD A PICTURE. LET HIM LOOK AT IT. THEN HAVE HIM CHOOSE
FROM A SERIES OF SINGLE PICTURES THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE IN THE LARGE
PICTURE. 14. LANGUAGE 70 AGES 3-4 TITLE: TELLS TWO EVENTS IN ORDER
OF OCCURRENCE WHAT TO DO: 1. HAVE THE CHILD WATCH YOU AS YOU
PERFORM TWO ACTIVITIES. FOR EXAMPLE TAP YOUR HEAD AND CLAP YOUR
HANDS. THEN ASK THE CHILD TO TELL YOU TWO THINGS YOU DID. AID HIM
WITH CLUES SUCH AS FIRST I THEN I 2. INSTRUCT THE CHILD TO DO TWO
THINGS. AFTER HE DOES THEM HAVE HIM TELL YOU WHAT HE JUST DID. 3.
WHEN A CHILD CAN TELL YOU TWO EVENTS THAT JUST OCCURRED HAVE HIM
TELL YOU ABOUT EVENTS THAT HAPPENED PROGRESSIVELY LONGER AGO; FOR
EXAMPLE TELLING ABOUT THINGS HE DID TODAY. OR READ THE CHILD A
FAMILIAR STORY AND MIX UP THE ORDER OF THE EVENTS. LET THE CHILD
CORRECT YOU. 4. TAKE TURNS DOING THINGS AND HAVE THE CHILD TELL YOU
ABOUT THEM SUCH AS YOU BLEW A BUBBLE AND I BROKE IT 15. EARLY
INTERVENTION HOME VISITS 16. HOW DOES THE PORTAGE PROGRAMME WORK A
FAMILY THAT HAS A CHILD, SUSPECTED OF HAVING A DISABILITY, IS
REFERRED TO A PROGRAM THAT USES THE PORTAGE MODEL SO THE CHILD CAN
BE ASSESSED. THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF THE ORGINAL PORTAGE MODEL
INCLUDED CHILD ASSESSMENT USING FORMAL STANDARDIZED TOOLS AND
INFORMAL CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT. USING THIS ASSESSMENT INFORMATION,
THE HOME INTERVENTION WORK AND PARENT TARGET SKILLS AND BEHAVIORS
TO BE TAUGHT. TYPICALLY THREE TO FIVE SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS ARE
SELECTED DURING EACH WEEKLY HOME VISIT. 17. IF THE PORTAGE
PROGRAMME DETERMINES THE CHILD HAS AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IT
WILL RECOMMEND THE FAMILY TO USE THE POTAGE KIT. THE PORTAGE KIT IS
AN ACTIVITY CARD FILE THAT CONSISTS OF 580 DEVELOPMENTALLY
SEQUENCED BEHAVIORS FROM BIRTH TO AGE SIX IN FIVE AREAS:
SOCIALIZATION, SELF-HELP, LANGUAGE, COGNITION, & MOTOR. THE
PARENTS ARE TAUGHT HOW TO USE THE CARDS TO HELP THEIR CHILD
DEVELOP. THREE PRIMARY AREAS IN WHICH THE PORTAGE MODEL HAS MADE
MODIFICATIONS ARE THE PERSPECTIVE TO INCLUDE THE FULL FAMILY AND
THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE, A STRONGER AND MORE ACTIVE
COMMITMENT TO FAMILY GUIDED INTERVENTION, AND THE INCLUSION OF
FACILITATION OF PARENT CHILD INTERACTION AS A FOCUS OF THE
INVERVENTION PROCESS. 18. STRENGTHS PORTAGE USES A HIGHLY
STRUCTURED YET MODIFIABLE TEACHING PACKAGE. IT IS HIGHLY ADAPTABLE
TO DAILY LIVING SKILLS BECAUSE IT IS HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASE. IT IS
INEXPENSIVE, AVAILABLE AND EASY TO TRANSLATE AND ADAPT. IT IS MORE
CONTINUOUS AND HOLISTIC THAN MOST OTHER SEGMENTED SEVICE
APPROACHES. IT HELPS THE FAMILY TO ACCEPT AND BOND WITH THE CHIILD.
IT CAN BE USED FOR OLDER CHILDREN WITH A RANGE OF IMPLAIRMENTS IF
THE CURRICULUM IS MODIFIED. 19. WEAKNESS PORTAGE PLACES AN
ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON ALREADY STRESSED OUT PARENTS, ESPECIALLLY
MOTHERS. THE PORTAGE CHILD USUALLY WORKS IN ISOLATION. AT PRESENT,
PORTAGE IS LIMITED IN ITS RANGE OF AGES AND CATEGORIES OF
DISABILITY SERVED. PORTAGE PERHAPS UNFAIRLY SHIFTS RESPONSIBILITY
FROM THE COMMUNITY TO THE FAMILY. THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL
RESEARCH EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EXPANDED AND MODIFIED
PORTAGE APPROACH. 20. CONCLUSION ALTHOUGH THE PORTAGE MODEL WAS
DEVELOPED IN THE US, IT IS NOW USED IN SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMMES IN
OTHER COUNTRIES. THE PORTAGE MODEL IS FAIRLY EASY TO USE AND
MONITOR. IT CAN ELIMINATE THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
INSTITUTIONAL REHABLILITION TRANSPORTATION, EXPENSE, AND TIME AWAY
FROM FAMILY AND WORK. THE PORTAGE MODEL COULD EASILY BE
INCORPORATED IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROGRAM. ORGINALLY DEVELOPED IN
THE US, IT HAS BEEN REDISCOVERED AND IS RECOMMENDED AS A TOOL TO BE
USED BY OTHER SOCIAL GROUPS.
