Springboard Opportunity Group

We run play sessions at Clevedon, Weston and South Weston, including Stay & Play sessions for families with very young children and who are having concerns about their child's development or behaviour. Each child has a Key Person who is responsible for them whilst at Springboard. The Key Person will work in close partnership with the child's parent/carer and liaise with any professionals involved.  

We have an Early Years' Inclusion Service, supporting children with additional needs in their local pre school or nursery and working in partnership with other pre school practitioners.

Springboard is part of the Area SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) service in North Somerset and works alongside other SENCO's to support children in the Foundation Stage and in their transition to school and gives support to parents and carers.

Your child at Springboard:

To help your child have an enjoyable play and learning experience, we have an extensive range of toys and specialist equipment such as a ball-pool, soft play and sensory equipment and specialist seating. We also promote and encourage child led learning through play activities.

Some examples include:

• 'Hello' time
• home corner/role play activities and cooking
• craft activities including play doh,clay, painting and lots more messy and creative stuff! 
• water play
• puzzles, games, books and mark-making
• IT/computer activities
• outdoor play activities in all weathers 
• healthy and sociable snack times
• singing, action songs and stories
• regular trips into the local community
• 'Good-bye' time

Springboard employs a range of additional specialist interventions to help individual children such as Makaton (key word signing and symbols) and PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), both of which enable children to  communicate and so improve their general learning, development and confidence.

More about our services:

Your child will have carefully planned sessions of play, songs, stories and snack times with up to nine others. A Playleader, a Deputy and one or two Support Assistants and several volunteers will join them in their play.

We always like to chat with you at the end of the session about what your child has been doing. Your child will have a Key Person who will have particular awareness of the individual needs. 

After six weeks, the Key Person will arrange a meeting with you, usually a home visit, so that you can discuss your child's needs and decide between you the main areas where Springboard can help. An Individual Play Plan will be written by the Key Person after this meeting; you will be given a copy of evrything that has been discussed and agreed. Another review meeting will be arranged each term. 

Your child may already have support from other people—speech and language therapists, physiotherapist, for instance—or we may suggest that a referral to these professionals would be useful. We welcome them to come to the playroom to share their advice and expertise with us and encourage partnership working. 

In a few cases, after discussion, with the Key Person, you may decide that your child does not need the intensive help Springboard provides. The Key Person will help you look into other possibilties such as the most appropriate local playgroup/preschool. Your child may attend another preschool as well as Springboard and may be able to have a Support Worker to help them. 

As your child approaches school age you may be offered a planning meeting with the range of professionals involved with your child. Your child's Key Person will also be involved in this.