Early Years - Information for Parents and Carers

The Early Years Forum

The Early Years Forum is a monthly meeting where professionals from Health, Education, and Social Care work together to plan, monitor and review pre-school children with additional learning needs and disabilities. The Forum enables professionals and parents to share information about children resulting in greater knowledge about their needs. A referral means that when a child enters school there is more information available to inform receiving staff about a child’s strengths and needs. It also allows planning, monitoring and adjusting a child’s journey at the earliest stage. You can find out more by following this link to the Early Years Forum page.

Portage Home Visiting

Portage is a home visiting service that is aimed at supporting young children under 5 who may have disabilities and their families. To be eligible for Portage you must live in Stoke-on-Trent and your child must not be attending a nursery.

If your child is eligible, your child will receive 6 home visits and then their progress will be discussed and we will plan the next steps together. You can find out more by visiting our Portage page.

Hazel Trees Nursery

Children are offered sessions at Hazel Trees nursery in order to provide an in-depth assessment of their needs. Places are time limited, take place in term-time only and do not provide childcare but assessment and intervention sessions. Places are allocated by the Early Years Forum. You can find out more by visiting our nursery page.