PlayWise offers a range of services for anyone that is supporting a child with an additional need or disability, that lives in the London Borough of Sutton.
If you are a parent/carer who has a child under 3 years you may be eligible to access our wonderful PlayWise Portage Service. A home visiting education service, working with you and your child on their development. PlayWise Portage is available if your child has two or more areas of developmental delay and is demonstrating a minimum of a six month delay which is impacting on their learning.
If your child is aged 0-8 years and, is either over 3 or does not meet the Portage criteria, or indeed if you would just like further support and intervention in the home then take a look at our PIP service (Portage Intervention Plus).
PlayWise recognises the importance of supporting you and your child in the local community and therefore we deliver a number of groups and activities around the borough and in our Hub for children and families.
For parents looking to access support outside of the family home and wanting to meet other parents on a similar journey we offer a number of different services:
- A wide range of community groups for you and your child, in different venues, on different days and with a varied focus for each group.
- We have a membership scheme which gives you access to our lovely PlayWise Community Hub in the heart of Sutton along with a range of other benefits, such as parent yoga, bite size training, guidance & support and a safe place to play with your child.
- A selection of bespoke training, such as EarlyBird, Signalong & Behaviour Management.
- Sleep Counselling.
- Post Diagnosis Support
- Family Support Fund
Our PlayWise Portage service is a pre-school home visiting education service for children aged 0-3 years, who have significant special educational needs and disabilities. This is a service for residents of London Borough of Sutton and is commissioned by LB of Sutton. The PlayWise Portage home visitor works in partnership with parents in their own home and works directly with children on boosting their child’s learning and development, creating meaningful opportunities for learning and communication through play and increasing positive outcomes for the child and family. 
A bespoke, home-based and intensive intervention that uses a range of specialist teaching methods and strategies. PIP services are designed to support children with learning and developmental delays from 0-8 years. We support children and families that will benefit from strategies in the home to manage challenges with a positive approach. PlayWise can also advise on particular areas of development to support a child’s whole learning within the context of family life, learning and play (this can include cognitive development, behaviour management, sensory needs, independent living skills, social interaction, language and communication, attention and play).
The Hub provides you with choices:
A bespoke service that works on a 1:1 basis, in partnership with families in the home to support their child’s learning and development needs. We can work with families in the local geographical areas (within 20 miles) and provide practical solution focused support and guidance on problematic issues that impact on the child and family.
The Post diagnosis support programme – Moving On Together, is in recognition of the emotional and practical challenges a parent/ carer faces when their child receives a formal diagnosis. This programme provides the family with essential support in the form of a key worker for advice and guidance in the home, a friendly listening ear, help with form filling and accessing referrals to the relevant services. A referral to this intervention will also provide the family with a year’s free membership to the PlayWise Hub and access to a HomeStart Volunteer for up to 6 months, who can provide emotional and practical support in the home or attending community activities.
A supportive, fun and interactive Play and Stay session at Tweeddale Children’sCentre for children and their families. Play Date offers an opportunity to meet new parents on a similar journey, receive advice and guidance on strategies to help and support your child’s development and provide a gentle and nurturing introduction to a preschool environment for children with a range of needs. The group incorporates an interactive and educational circle time, fun indoor and outdoor activities, a sensory room and soft play room. Delivered during Term Time Only and cost £1.00 per session, per family.
This is a group held in the PlayWise Hub every Tuesday morning and delivers interactive stories and songs with a range of visual communication aids and Objects of Reference (OOR). The group is for children with additional needs aged between 0–5 years. Delivered during Term Time Only and at no additional cost to parent/carer.
Bespoke Swimming session for children with physical disabilities (0 – 5 years). This session is delivered from a specialist school with a hydrotherapy pool. Only available to PlayWise and Portage families. 
This group is for children presenting with delays and challenges with social interaction, play, language and communication and associated behaviours aged between 2.5 years and 4 years of age. 
WiggleWise is a new group to get you moving! WiggleWise i
This is a 10 week programme for parents of children new to a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. It has been developed to support parents and families in managing challenging behaviour and understanding the world of autism from their child’s perspective and provides the opportunity to meet other parents on a similar journey. This is currently funded by the London Borough of Sutton and is therefore free to Sutton residents.
A bespoke sleep support intervention for families of children who are poor sleepers as a result of their disability. Sleep counselling targets support with sleep routines, sleep hygiene, practical support, strategies and advice, a detailed assessment and we have a range of interventions available:
A short workshop or a 7 week course for parents and practitioners to learn the fundamentals of using sign language to support language and communication development as an effective tool to promote positive communication skills. Participants will learn key word signing with their child/ cohort in everyday activities and songs and functional language.
This workshop is delivered by an external trainer (NNEB) who specialises in toileting for disabled children. Join the workshop for a better understanding of how the body works and the processes required for successful bladder and bowel movements as well as finding tips and strategies to lead your child towards successful and independent toilet training.
We deliver course/ workshops on the following areas:
SocialWise
SocialWise is a social skills group for children aged 4-8 years in small groups. The group facilitates learning skills such as sharing turn taking, reciprocation, waiting, anticipation, language and communication skills and attention whilst playing and having fun with friends.
Activities include snack time, circle time, attention bucket and focused sensory play and turn taking games.
Children will learn to use visual support and will access a range of table top, floor and music and movement activities.
SocialWise provides a 6 week intervention for parents and children.
This group aims at:
Increasing child’s attention to a focused adult led activity, developing child’s skills to be able to take turns with their peers, child having fun in social group setting, increasing parental peer support and network