The Portage Model is a home-based early intervention program for children ages birth to four who have special needs. It was developed in the 1970s in Portage, Wisconsin to provide services in rural communities. The model individualizes teaching activities for each child and family based on concerns, with a focus on parental involvement in enhancing child development. Home intervention workers make regular home visits to teach new skills, monitor progress, and show parents how to stimulate their child's overall development. The Portage Model emphasizes that parents know their children best and are the most important teachers.

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 CHILD’S OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
• THE PORTAGE PROGRAMME WAS ORGINALLY DEVELOPED IN THE MID 1970’S 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
ONGOING
REPORTING
PRECISION
TEACHING
METHOD
HOME-TEACHING PROCESS
REPORTING
COMONENTS 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 CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT.
 THE PARENTS MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD
IS SEQUENTIAL IN NATURE.
 THEY MUST BELIEVE THAT THE CHILD’S 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 CHILD’S 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
G
OBSERVATION
AND
ASSESSMENT
(ONGOING)
HOME
VISITOR
OBTAINS
POSTBASELINE
HOME
VISITOR
ACTIVITY
PLANNING
PRESENTS
NEW ACTIVITY
AND RECORDS
BASELINE
REPORTING
HOME-TEACHING
PROCESS
PARENT
MODELS NEW
ACTIVITY
PARENTS WORKS
WITH CHILD
DURING WEEK AND
RECORDS
PARENT AND
HOME VISITOR
REVIEW ACTIVITY
AND RECORDING

12. Direct Intervention Activities
25-35 Minutes
WHO: Parent, Home Visitor,
Child
WHAT: Activities directed at
specific skill acquisition in all
component areas.
 REVIEW
DEMONSTRATION
PRACTICE
DISCUSSION
HOW: The Home-Teaching
Process
Informal Activities
30-35 Minutes
WHO: 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
ROUTINES
Parent and Family Activities
20-30 Minutes
WHO: Parent, Home Visitor
WHAT: Parents and home
visitors work together in:
DETERMINING NEEDS
EXPANDING PARENTS’
KNOWLEDGE BASE
ENHANCING PROBLEMSOLVING ABILITIES
HOW: 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 EDUCATION
COGNITIVE 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.