for neurodivergent kids & teens
Specialized in-home childcare for children and teens with autism, ADHD and other support needs. Our caregivers, called Care Specialists, are prepared for your child, with support from our team. No diagnosis required.
Washington DC · Maryland · Northern VirginiaDC · Maryland · Northern VA
Some children need more support than a typical babysitter may be prepared to provide. We prepare for that so your child can enjoy the time: familiar routines, shared interests and someone who wants to get to know them.
Games, music, art, a walk or quiet company. We make room for your child’s interests and choices, with time to join in or take a break. For teens, care may look like companionship, a shared activity or support with an everyday routine.
Speech, gestures, pictures or an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. We learn how your child asks, chooses, says no and signals a break. Sensory supports and time to process shape our time together.
Some children, including those with a PDA (demand-avoidant) profile, find everyday demands overwhelming. We plan low-pressure approaches with you, like declarative language (“Your shoes are by the door.”), and give choice and time to respond.
A clinician writes a Family Care Plan with you before care begins. It covers known needs such as aggression, elopement or self-injury, with familiar responses and clear steps for getting help at home and on outings.
Each new Care Specialist gets a walk-through of your home, and every outing follows a plan you approve.
123456Show each new Care Specialist around, and point out rooms to avoid.
1234⌂The Care Specialist follows the plan, supervises your child and keeps checking the surroundings.
When care fits your child, it can fit your week, too. Families use it around a work schedule, for regular time to handle other things or take a break, and for occasional plans.
Full-time coverage or a few hours each day, including mornings and after school. We can help with getting ready, pickup and the afternoon routine while you work.
A regular afternoon or several visits a week for another child, errands, appointments, self-care or a break. Many families call this respite, with a familiar caregiver each time.
A date night, an anniversary, a weekend commitment or a planned overnight while you’re away. We plan familiar routines, staffing and handoffs before the visit.
Across all three uses, care can include school pickup, appointments and outings. We plan the activities, travel and handoffs around your child’s routines and support needs.
The reason you need care doesn’t change the preparation your child receives.
Our caregivers include students, graduates and working professionals in healthcare, psychology, human services and direct care. We choose and prepare them, then handle matching, scheduling and support throughout care.
Care Specialists are our direct W-2 employees. We use scenario-based interviews, three references and background checks, and only a small share of applicants receive an offer. All are First Aid/CPR certified and covered by commercial insurance.
We consider your child’s interests, communication and support needs alongside your schedule and each Care Specialist’s experience. Care comes from one assigned Care Specialist or a small, familiar team, and we never send an unfamiliar substitute.
Scheduling, changes and questions come to us. During a visit, your Care Specialist can reach our care leadership team for guidance. We help resolve questions about your child’s plan and work with you when your schedule or staffing needs change.
We teach practical skills, prepare each caregiver for your child and join them in person as they put that preparation into practice.
Care Specialists learn to notice what happens before a difficult moment, what the child does and what follows, often called the ABCs of behavior, and share what they see with you.
In paid, in-person training, instructors demonstrate communication, routine and safety skills. Caregivers rehearse realistic situations and get feedback before any assignment.
Each assigned caregiver learns your child’s written plan one-on-one before providing care, including their communication, familiar routines and responses to difficult moments.
A supervisor joins in person when care begins, for as many visits as needed, and can return later. Your team has ongoing clinician guidance, and we update the plan when routines change.
The details you share become instructions someone can use during a visit: how your child says no, what helps them settle after school and which response is familiar when a moment becomes difficult. Our clinician builds the Family Care Plan with you, then uses it to guide matching and prepare every assigned Care Specialist.
The $300 Family Care Intake covers learning about your child, developing their plan, matching and preparation. It includes your first Monthly membership fee or first 90 days of Flex access. Choose a regular schedule or visits as needed below. What the intake includes
For a regular schedule
$40/hour
+ $300 monthly membership
Covers your regular schedule and ongoing team support.
The $300 monthly membership supports your regular schedule, matching and ongoing team support. Intake covers your first membership fee, prorated through the end of that calendar month. Later memberships renew on the 1st. Care hours are billed separately at $40 per hour, with a three-hour visit minimum. To end Monthly Care at month-end, email hello@novinway.com before the next 1st.
For visits as needed
$50/hour
+ $100 per 90-day access period
Keeps your child’s Family Care Plan up to date.
Your first 90 days of Flex access are included with the Family Care Intake and begin on your first Care Specialist session, including a supervised session. Intake and matching do not use up that time. Each later period begins with your first session after the previous period expires and has a $100 access fee, which covers keeping your child’s Family Care Plan up to date. Periods run for 90 consecutive calendar days and do not renew automatically. Care hours are billed separately at $50 per hour, with a four-hour visit minimum.
Care Services are private pay.
Novinway provides specialized in-home childcare for children and teens with autism, ADHD, anxiety and other support needs across Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Our strongest coverage is close to DC, including Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Arlington and Fairfax County.
We also have Care Specialists in and around Baltimore and can support families in Baltimore City and County, Howard and Prince George’s counties, and selected Anne Arundel communities. Matching depends on your location, schedule and the right fit for your child.
Ask about morning routines, after-school childcare or an evening out. A formal diagnosis is not required.
Local details: Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Yes, including neurotypical siblings. During intake, we assess whether one Care Specialist can safely support both children. When that is possible, there is no additional sibling charge. If two Care Specialists are needed, their Care hours are billed separately.
Yes. Overnight care can take place in your family’s home while you’re away. We plan the schedule, familiar routines, staffing and handoffs with you before the stay.
Care Specialists complete paid, in-person training built around practice and feedback. Instructors explain and demonstrate common care situations; Care Specialists rehearse them and receive feedback. Training covers:
Training specific to the child comes next. A Novinway supervisor is there when care begins and can return in person for as many visits as the assignment needs. Ongoing supervision and support continue throughout.
Under both Flex and Monthly Care, only Care Specialists who have been matched to your family and prepared for your child provide care. Monthly Care includes a regular schedule with your assigned Care Specialists. Flex visits are scheduled with your matched Care Specialists based on their current availability. We never send an unfamiliar substitute.
Tell us. We’ll go through what didn’t work and decide whether a different Care Specialist or a different service is the better fit.
Yes. Ordinary childcare can include meals, getting dressed, toileting and other daily routines. We discuss your child’s needs and established instructions, then agree on the tasks and preparation before care begins.
Invoices go out every two weeks. Undisputed amounts are charged automatically five calendar days after the invoice is sent, so please raise any billing question before then.
No. Care Specialists provide specialized childcare, not therapy or ABA. They can help with familiar routines and follow everyday instructions and strategies established with your family and providers. Your providers continue to guide treatment; Care Specialists do not make clinical decisions.
Tell us about your child and the time you’d like care to make possible.
Not ready to book? Send us a question