Host Chapter: Halifax, Truro, Strait Area, South West, South Shore, Pictou County, Cumberland County, Cape Breton Region, Annapolis Valley • Categories: Children and Youth, Parents and Caregivers
QuickStart Nova Scotia

QuickStart Nova Scotia is a parent-mediated coaching program designed to empower caregivers of toddlers with a suspected, provisional, or confirmed diagnosis of autism to teach and support their child’s development.

Referral Form
Click here for the Referral Information Form
Contact:
Phone: 902-593-1015
Email: quickstart@autismns.ca
Eligibility
- Child has a suspected, provisional, or confirmed diagnosis of Autism;
- Child is between the ages of 12 and 31 months at the start of the program.
Click here for the Referral Information Form
Additional Information:
Caregivers meet with a member of the interdisciplinary team once a week for a 17-week period with two follow-up meetings, for a total of 19 sessions.
The program uses an individualized approach unique to each family’s needs and provides a naturalistic teaching framework that is flexible, accessible, collaborative, and supportive.
Caregivers have a chance to collaborate with the team to:
- develop individualized goals for their child
- practice teaching strategies which are derived from the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
- Participate in sessions with the Speech Language Pathologist and Occupational Therapist focused on addressing concerns parents have and completing an assessment of the child’s skills.
- Participate in sessions with the Parent Coach focused on finalizing goals and supporting caregivers in learning strategies to teach individualized goals to their child.
Please note:
- Meetings range in length from 1 to 1.5 hours per week.
- Families are asked to identify one caregiver who can participate in every session.
- Additionally, caregivers are asked to practice the strategies across different activities throughout their day.
Are you Eligible?
1. Child has a suspected, provisional, or confirmed diagnosis of Autism;
2. Child is between the ages of 12 and 31 months at the start of the program;
3. One immediate caregiver can commit to attending all sessions;
4. Not enrolled in more than 10 hours per week of services elsewhere
The program takes place for two, 1 hour sessions per week across a period of 4 months. QuickStart NS team members work directly with the child to teach skills across developmental areas through play-based activities for a 3-month period. Parent coaching will be the main focus for the last month of service. This is a limited service to support the learning of QuickStart staff.
Are you Eligible?
- Child has a suspected, provisional, or confirmed diagnosis of Autism
- Child is between the ages of 31 and 45 months at the start of the program
- A caregiver is to be present during sessions; and
- Not enrolled in Parent-Mediated Coaching or more than 10 hours per week of services elsewhere
Supports caregivers with sleep related concerns that is becoming a major barrier to their child’s quality of life.
A sleep assessment and plan are completed in the first weeks of service, followed by regular check-ins on progress and support for caregivers. The service will be on average, 6 weeks, based on the needs and progress of the child. This is a limited service.
Are you Eligible?
1. Child has a suspected, provisional, or confirmed diagnosis of Autism;
2. Child is between the ages of 12 and 45 months at the start of the program;
3. Eligible or enrolled in Parent-Mediated Coaching or ESDM
4. Reside in the Halifax Regional Municipality (for in-person);
5. One caregiver is to be present during sessions;
6. Sleep concerns are a main focus and are becoming a major barrier to child’s or caregivers’ quality of life; and
7. Aiming to not use medication for sleep
Supports caregivers with a specific behaviour that is of concern and is becoming a major barrier to their child’s quality of life.
A Functional Behaviour Assessment is used to support in developing a plan to guide caregivers in understanding and build skills for themselves and the child. The service will be on average, 6 weeks, based on the needs and progress of the child. This is a limited service.
Are you Eligible?
1. Child has a suspected, provisional, or confirmed diagnosis of Autism;
2. Child is between the ages of 12 and 45 months at the start of the program;
3. Eligible or enrolled in Parent-Mediated Coaching or ESDM
4. Reside in the Halifax Regional Municipality (for in-person); and
5. A specific behaviour that is a main concern and are becoming a major barrier to child’s or caregivers’ quality of life;
"Learning how to break down a goal into many steps and working on them bit by bit was huge and we can use it for everything going forward!"
- QuickStart NS Parent
"It gave us a totally different perspective on how child’s play is learning; that he does not learn by osmosis but that the play is direct and intentional learning."
- QuickStart NS Parent
"The skills I’ve learned as a parent helped me to achieve further goals."
- QuickStart NS Parent
Contact:
QuickStart Nova Scotia,
quickstart@autismns.ca ● 902-593-1015