With the current SEND Reform consultation and a renewed national focus on the Early Years, there has never been a more important moment to highlight the critical role that Portage plays in supporting babies and young children with SEND and their families.
I would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to read the National Portage Association (NPA) latest paper: 
Time to Act Strengthening and Expanding Portage for Pre-School Children with SEND (23.58 MB) and sign our NPA Petition
Portage is very close to my heart. In my role as Chair of the National Portage Association, I feel a responsibility to ensure that senior leaders and commissioners across the country are fully aware of the impact Portage can have on early childhood development, family resilience, parental confidence and long-term outcomes.
In Sutton, we are fortunate to benefit from the full support of the Local Authority, which commissions an extensive Portage offer. Sadly, this level of provision is not consistent across England, and significant geographical inequalities remain. Many families are unable to access the early support they need during the most critical stage of their child’s development.
We need your support to ensure that every child and family can benefit from the essential support that Portage provides.
I therefore encourage you to read the Time to Act document, sign the National Portage Association petition, and share it with colleagues and networks. Our aim is to ensure that the right support is available in the early years and that Government formally recognises Portage as a key early intervention within the SEND Reform agenda.
Portage is one of the most powerful tools we have to support babies and young children with SEND and their families. At its heart, Portage is about working alongside parents in their homes and communities, using small steps and play-based learning to help children develop and thrive. More than a service, it represents a philosophy of partnership with families, inclusion, and early support that recognises parents as the most important educators in a child’s life.
The Time to Act message is clear:
- Early identification must lead to immediate support — not waiting lists.
- Families need practical, relationship-based intervention — not simply assessment.
- Portage should be embedded within every local authority’s early intervention strategy — not treated as an optional add-on.
When we invest early, we do far more than improve developmental outcomes for children with SEND. We strengthen families, support inclusion within early years settings, and reduce the need for crisis intervention later.
Across the country, SEND systems are under immense pressure. Strengthening Portage as a universal early intervention pathway is one of the most effective and evidence-based ways to respond.
For commissioners, leaders and policymakers, the question is simple:
If we know early intervention works, why is Portage not embedded everywhere?
Now is the time to act.
Thank you for your support.
Pam Fry MBE
CEO: PlayWise Learning CIC & Chair, National Portage Association