The Acadia University SMILE (Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience) Program provides an environment of play and fun that fosters fundamental motor development for children and youth with varying ability levels and develops leadership skills for Acadia University students which will help lead to a lifetime of success.
The Alexander Society for Special Needs provides art-based educational programs to children and teens with special needs.
The Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education (AVRCE) provides information on local elementary and secondary schools in the area as well as information on individual student services provided by the school board.
The Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA) provides educational services, programs, and opportunities for persons from birth to 21 years of age with low incidence sensory impairments. This includes children and youth who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired and who are residents of Atlantic Canada.
Bridgeway Academy provides an academic program to students aged 5-19 with learning disabilities.
Every summer for one week, children at Camp Goodtimes aged 7–15 years who are survivors or living with cancer or brain tumours enjoy a week of fun and friendship at Camp Goodtime.
The CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research is focused on improving the lives of children and youth with disabilities and their families. The cutting-edge research and active strategies for making findings easily accessible to a wide range of audiences make CanChild the premier source for childhood disability information.
Cape Breton’s Family Place Resource Centre is the administrative office for Cape Breton Island; Office for programs and services being offered within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
Caring for Kids-Child Development is designed to provide parents with information about their child’s health and well-being. Specifically, this section is a general guide for developmental milestones from birth to age 4.
Department of Community Services: Direct Family Support provides financial support for those caring for a person with a disability at home, providing funding to enable families to purchase respite services.
Easter Seals Nova Scotia offers an Active Lifestyles Program that includes Camp Tidnish, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Challenge, and the Take PART (Physically Accessible Recreation Today) initiative – designed to get Nova Scotia’s youth with disabilities more physically active.
The Family Service Association offers professional, confidential counselling and education services to enable people to function more effectively at home, in the community and in their work environment. We provide a wide range of individual, couple and family counselling services, addressing such issues as relationships, parenting and family, depression and anxiety, stress, violence and anger, grief and loss, separation and divorce, gambling problems, substance abuse, credit counselling and other issues that may impact an individual or a family.
Family SOS provides a number of programs and services directed toward strengthening families. From Family Intervention, Positive Parenting Programs for Mom and Dads, Reunification & Aftercare and Teens’ Talk, staff make every attempt to keep the family and their needs at the centre of the work.
The Fred Smithers Centre of Support for Students with Disabilities supports the attainments of academic career and personal goals for persons of all abilities. This is done through programs and services; such as loans of educationally related technical equipment, learning related workshops, coordination of interpreter and note taking services.
Halifax Association for Community Living family support facilitators assist families who have a family member with an intellectual disability across the lifespan throughout the entire Halifax Regional Municipality. They can answer questions and assist with concerns about education, funding sources, future planning and community supports.
The Halifax Developmental Centre for Early Learning is a fully integrated program that provides specialized programming for children who have special needs, and those without, between the ages of 18 months to 6 years of age. It is a full time, fully inclusive Preschool environment.
The Halifax Regional Centre for Education has a network of interconnected resources to provide support for students and families in maximizing student success. Specific services include speech therapy, psychological services, behaviour services, autism services, assistive technology, social work, learning disability services and gifted programs.
Irving Oil: Fuel the Care Program provides gasoline gift certificates to families driving between home and hospital for their children’s medical appointments. The IWK administers the program on behalf of Irving Oil, parents must meet with the Social Work department to apply for assistance which is based on frequency of visits, distance of travel, and family income.
The IWK Autism Team provides diagnostic and assessment services, consultations, and intervention services to children suspected to have, or who have, Autistic Spectrum Disorders. This includes Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Asperger’s Syndrome.
The IWK Developmental Pediatrics Clinic provides diagnostic assessments and services for children with a variety of developmental and related behavioral problems on an outpatient basis. This clinic’s team has working relationships with many community agencies and groups including schools, day cares, early intervention programs and community services. The team also provides ongoing education for parents, professionals and interested groups.
IWK Kids Rehabilitation Services focus on identifying the knowledge and skills that children and families need to manage daily activities at home and in individual communities. The focus of intervention may shift over time between skill development, psychosocial support for family members, recreation opportunities, integration into child care or preparation for school entry
Kids Help Phone is a free, anonymous and confidential phone and on-line professional counselling service for youth available 24/7. Phone: 1 800 668 6868
Landmark East School is a co-ed international school for students diagnosed with learning disabilities in grades 6 through 12. The school offers psychological and speech-language assessment services.
The Nanny Services website allows you to search for child care providers and caregivers within your area looking for employment in child care, elder care, home care and much more. It is extremely important that you interview any child care providers and is highly recommended that you ask for a criminal reference check. Please note: If you are hiring a Nanny, please keep in mind that you will act as an employer and need to find out all the tax and legal implications that go a long with that.
Nova Scotia Education and Early Childhood Development: Early Years Branch provides funding resources and supports to programs that deliver services to families and children. This includes regulated child care, early intervention and early childhood education training including for those with developmental needs.
The Strongest Families Institute provides programs are designed to support children and youth from 3-12 years of age with for: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and Anxiety Disorder.
Transition House Association of Nova Scotia provides crisis and transitional services to women and their children experiencing violence and abuse.
The Valley Child Development Association (VCDA) provides personalized family programs to help children and their parents who are living with a range of challenges. Their specialty is early intervention – helping young children who are not developing as quickly as other children the same age.
The Wee Care Developmental Centre provides children’s programming based on the rationale of early intervention and integration. Care is available for children with special needs aged six months to six years and typically developing children.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Cape Breton, Whitney Pier Youth Club exists to provide the opportunity for all children in our community to experience recreational, social, and educational programs in a safe, enjoyable, and supportive atmosphere. All of our programs and interactions with members are designed to promote the development of self-esteem. We will endeavor to schedule programs to ensure all children have access to the Club, including those families in which the parent(s) are working outside the home or going to school.
