Portage Home Visitor

Typical Salary

£19,000 To £32,000

Typical Hours

36 to 38 a week

evenings / weekends attending events or appointments

How To Become a Portage Home Visitor

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
volunteering
applying directly
training from a charity or private training provid

College / University

You could do a foundation degree or degree in early childhood studies.

at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You could learn some of the skills you need for this job through a college course like the Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care, or a T level in Education.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T level

Apprenticeship

You could learn some of the skills you would need to get into this job through an early years educator advanced apprenticeship.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

It may be possible to apply directly to employers if you've got experience of working with children aged 0 to 4 years, and knowledge of early childhood development and special needs. You may also need one of the following:

a relevant professional qualification in teaching, social work or nursing
a level 2 or 3 early years qualification
a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in early childhood studies

Other Routes

You could do a 2 to 3 day Portage Workshop led by a National Portage Association accredited trainer. This could be a good way for you to find out more about the role before applying for work. No knowledge or experience is required.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work well with others
knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
to be flexible and open to change
persistence and determination
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
knowledge of English language
knowledge of psychology
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

In your day-to-day duties you may:

observe children and talk to parents to identify their child’s skills
assess which skills are most important for the child's future learning
suggest a programme of activities for parents and their child to practise together
break down tasks into small steps
show parents how to record their child's progress
encourage parents and carers to meet each other and offer support
help parents to apply for disability benefits
check progress and agree on new goals
write progress reports

Working Environment

You could work at a client's home or in an office.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding and you'll travel often.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a senior Portage worker with supervisory or management responsibilities.

You could also study to be an accredited Portage trainer or look for work in a special educational needs school.

Volunteering Opportunities

Some local authorities may offer opportunities to be a volunteer Portage worker, without the need for qualifications.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a Portage home visitor from the National Portage Association.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks