A centre of excellence dedicated to
helping children with cerebral palsy and
other motor disorders to maximise their potential.
What Steps Offers
A Typical Day
A typical day starts with an assembly when the children share news, think about the weather and which day of the week it is. After a brief warm up time, the day consists of a number of programmes – the ‘task series’ – that are interrelated and build upon each other. Skills practised in the morning are repeated in the afternoon but in different and more difficult positions, to encourage the children to adapt the skills they have acquired to different situations
Lunch is an excellent time of the day to improve speech, communication skills and to provide support for children who may have eating difficulties. In addition to working as part of a group, each child has an individual programme designed to address his or her personal needs.
As in mainstream nurseries, a topic is set for the term and the Early Years Foundations Stage guidance incorporated into the programme. Visits to appropriate places are sometimes made in connection with the topic. All of our children have a ‘Learning Journey’ with photographs of their continuing development.
Our programmes are organised to suit the specific needs of particular age and ability groups. We work with babies, pre-school children, and over-fives who may be attending mainstream schools. Each child attends one session or more each week, with his or her parent. Parents normally work alongside their child throughout the day, in a creative three-way partnership with staff.
The day consists of a number of inter-related programmes, designed to encourage children to acquire and develop the skills needed to equip them for everyday situations. Individualised support is complemented by group activity.
As part of our support to children in mainstream schools, we run regular sessions designed to develop a wide range of physical skills, and build self-confidence, in a lively environment.
Family activity week
We also offer a family activity week where our children, their siblings and parents can enjoy a fun-filled week of engaging activities.
Our Vision
- All children with motor learning difficulties have the best possible start in life.
- Families, children and young people set aspirational goals.
- Every family, and every child or young person with motor learning difficulties, has access to the highest possible quality of services and support to enable them to reach their goals.
- Young people with motor learning difficulties are encouraged to live as independently as possible as adults. The benefits of conductive education can be brought to the region.
What is Steps mission and vision?
To fulfil its mission Steps currently offers:
- High quality services incorporating the values, principles and practice of conductive education.
- High quality early education opportunities for children aged between 0-5 with motor learning difficulties, in partnership with parents. These include:
- An Ofsted registered nursery.
- Parent and baby sessions.
- Parent and toddler sessions.
- Special sessions for children about to start school.
- Regular sessions and continuing support for children of school age and their parents.
- Work to support young people into adulthood.
Year round activities, events and opportunities for the whole family to learn and celebrate success. - Professional networking with other agencies to promote the benefits of conductive education, and to ensure that the specific needs of children with disabilities and their families are met in line with government policies.
Steps aims to:
- Consolidate its achievements by further developing Steps as a Centre of Excellence.
- Develop services which fulfil the needs of children, young people and families into the future
Referrals
We have an ‘open door’ policy at Steps and each child, regardless of their disability or diagnosis, is assessed by experts who would discuss with you how your child may benefit from our services. As well as providing specialist nursery services and support for your child, Steps is a place where parents and families find support from each other. You are welcome to come and visit us, and if you wish to refer a child, please telephone or email us to make contact with our team
Testimonials
Local teacher in a mainstream school
Using the principles of conductive education has a marked impact on the development of individual children.
Local teacher
There is an emphasis on ensuring each child becomes as independent as possible and resulting overall progress has been a joy for me and my husband to see over the last year.
Parent
My daughter's quality of life has improved beyond belief since she stared attending the nursery. In September she will start mainstream school. She is now a happy, confident and intelligent little girl, who understands that she finds some things more difficult than other children.
Parent
Steps provides me with inspiration and courage...it means hope for the future.
Parent
This nursery has been a lifeline for me.
Parent
Poppy's development in terms of her problem solving and her knowledge/understanding of the world are a relative strength. The excellent quality of interaction offered by parents, conductive education and the support offered by the preschool service is obviously benefitting Poppy.
Educational Psychologist
I wouldn't miss Steps for anything. It's my favourite time of the week.
Steps young person who now attends secondary school
This is the first time I have been somewhere where the staff and other parents actually know what I'm going through.
Parent attending Steps for the first time with daugther aged 2
Contact Us
T: 01509 506878
E: info@stepscentre.org.uk
Steps Conductive Education Centre
40 Loughborough Road,
Shepshed, Loughborough
LE12 9DN
Registered Charity number: 1063143
© 2007 – 2019 Steps All rights reserved.