quickstart parent respite program For parents
"As a grandmother of two young boys diagnosed with autism, I personally see the day to day challenges families face. We are pleased to be able to offer parents one or two night breaks giving them the opportunity to refresh and restart." Suzanne Jacobson, Founder
QuickStart Early Intervention for Autism (QuickStart Autism) is a Canadian Registered Charity. We operate without government funding. We sincerely thank our local hotel partners and generous donors for helping to make this program possible!
Program Information
Please read the program information below before applying. Let us know if you have any questions.
- The Parent Respite Program is open to parents/caregivers of children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and who live in the greater Ottawa area
- Parents/caregivers must apply each calendar year but do not need to send proof of diagnosis if it has already been sent to us in a prior year
- Proof of an autism diagnosis is accepted from a medical doctor or psychologist or a qualified professional. Most professionals will provide you with a letter stating that your child has an ASD diagnosis. Please do not send the full diagnostic assessment.
- Names will be entered into a draw once the application and proof of diagnosis have been received
- A signed waiver is required when a stay is awarded to a parent/caregiver
- Parent/caregiver names will be drawn throughout the year (approximately Februrary to October) as hotel stays become available
- Parents/caregivers will be awarded stays of one or two nights based on their application request and availability of stays
- We arrange the stays for the parents/caregivers in order to ensure this experience is as stress free as possible
- The hotel availability is matched with the parents'/caregivers' requested dates for their stay
- Stays are for the parents/caregivers only
- Parents/caregivers are responsible for arranging their own childcare while they are away
- QuickStart Autism funds up to $150 per night for childcare costs while the parents/caregivers are away. Childcare providers may be a family member, friend, professional, etc. We require a signed receipt from the childcare provider for the parent/caregiver to be reimbursed
Program application
The Parent Respite Program is closed to applications for 2023.
To apply, please fill in our online application form below.
Please ensure you answer each question in full and that your contact information is correct so that we can notify you if your name is drawn.
If you have more than one child diagnosed with autism, you may fill in an application for each child.
Apply to the Parent Respite Program
What parents are saying
“What can I say? We had a beautiful room facing the Parliament buildings...a clean and beautiful room with the most comfortable bed...it had a sound machine that lulled us to sleep for naps....NAPS!! We also slept through the night which is a rare occurrence....we had time to devote to each other and reconnect...we barely spoke about the children, which is usually our topic of conversation."
“I want to thank you for having given me the wonderful opportunity to enjoy a peaceful night at the beautiful hotel. This time to myself meant so very much to me, a single mom who appreciates this gift with my whole heart. What you and the hotel partners do for us parents of children with ASD means more than you can imagine."
“It was a wonderful re-charge to parent batteries - when sometimes I don’t know how we’ll cope - this gave us a renewed sense of support, relief, respite and we felt lucky for once in some time! We so much appreciate this - thank you!"
“I want to thank you so much for the parents night out my husband and I had. We both enjoyed it tremendously. The room was gorgeous and huge. We really appreciated that we could relax and have a quiet evening without having to worry about our children.”
“It was a wonderful re-charge to parent batteries - when sometimes I don’t know how we’ll cope - this gave us a renewed sense of support, relief, respite and we felt lucky for once in some time! We so much appreciate this - thank you!"
"When you are busy working full-time to support your family, and filling in all your free time advocating for services and support for your child - and for others affected by autism - it’s easy to forget to nurture yourself and your marriage. QuickStart recognizes that helping the children with autism also means making sure the whole family is well and supported."
Participating Hotels
Thank you to our supporting hotels for making our program possible!
