Refuge

Refuge is safe, emergency accommodation for you and your children when you are fleeing domestic abuse. We offer self-contained flats or houses with a communal garden and 1:1 support to all our service users, all our staff are experienced and qualified and passionate about supporting families to live independently. We accept telephone referrals and you can self refer or be referred by an agency by ringing our helpline 01254 260465 . We have an assessment process in place to make sure that refuge is the best option to meet your needs.
Safety is very important so the accommodation units have 24 hour CCTV in operation and we provide support 7 days a week.

Support we offer includes:

• An environment which promotes the safety of women and children
• Individual support plans, targeted support to meet additional needs
• Weekly house meetings / breakfast groups / children’s house meetings
• Cultural support
• Counselling
• Support to access housing & benefits
• Support through the criminal/ civil justice system
• Advocacy and liaison with other agencies
• A variety of educational and therapeutic programmes
• Emotional and practical support
• Resettlement support on exit
• Support with children and parenting issues
• Outdoor play area

Children's Support Services

We are proud to hold an Investors In Children Award and our specialist children’s support workers create a positive environment, where children and young people feel safe and free from abuse. We offer one-to-one and group sessions, we know that children are impacted by domestic abuse and also by leaving home to come to refuge. The programmes we offer help children develop safe coping strategies reconcile their abusive experiences and enjoy play sessions and have fun as children deserve. We support children to overcome their experience of abuse, and ensure any disruption to their education is minimal during their stay.

Activities are planned throughout the holiday periods and our outdoor play area includes a greenhouse and raised beds.

Ethnic Minority Support

Our specialist bi-lingual support workers deliver support which is appropriate to meet the cultural and faith needs of victims from ethnic minority communities to help them overcome additional barriers. These barriers mean BME victims often require extra support to achieve social and economic independence. We also provide support to victims who are fleeing forced marriage, honour based violence, female genital mutilation.