Refuge Accommodation Services 

Hull Women's Aid provides safe refuge accommodation that is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 
1 in 4 Women Experience Domestic Abuse From The Age Of 16 
1 in 4 Women Experience Domestic Abuse From The Age Of 16 
91% Of Children In Families Where Domestic Abuse Is Happening Were Exposed To The Abuse 
2 In 5 Children In Families Where There Is Domestic Abuse Have Been Living With That Abuse Since They Were Born 
91% Of Children In Families Where Domestic Abuse Is Happening Were Exposed To The Abuse 
2 In 5 Children In Families Where There Is Domestic Abuse Have Been Living With That Abuse Since They Were Born 
 
What is a Refuge? 
 
A refuge is a safe house for women and children escaping domestic abuse. Women can live free from abuse and have time and space to recover from their experiences and start to take control of their lives. 
 
Every woman in the refuge is escaping abuse, therefore they can share their experiences and offer each other support in an environment where they feel safe and free from abuse. Peer support can sometimes be the most beneficial support a woman can receive. 
 
The HWA refuge accommodation has a variety of rooms/flats suitable for single women and women with children. CCTV and other security systems are in place. For those that cannot be accommodated in the main refuge there is a separate property available. 
 
What support is available? 
 
The refuge is staffed by experienced and trained staff that provide individual support for women and children whilst they are living in the refuge. Residents are assigned a support worker when they arrive at the refuge who will work in partnership with them to develop a safety plan and a support plan to enable the women and children to get their life back on track. 
 
The support workers can help with: 
 
Legal issues 
Benefits, budgeting or other financial matters 
Housing and resettlement 
Children's issues 
Advocating on your behalf 
Health problems 
Accessing other services 
Emotional support 
Accessing language support 
Children in the refuge 
 
What is a Refuge? 
 
A refuge is a safe house for women and children escaping domestic abuse. Women can live free from abuse and have time and space to recover from their experiences and start to take control of their lives. 
 
Every woman in the refuge is escaping abuse, therefore they can share their experiences and offer each other support in an environment where they feel safe and free from abuse. Peer support can sometimes be the most beneficial support a woman can receive. 
 
The HWA refuge accommodation has a variety of rooms/flats suitable for single women and women with children. CCTV and other security systems are in place. For those that cannot be accommodated in the main refuge there is a separate property available. 
 
What support is available? 
 
The refuge is staffed by experienced and trained staff that provide individual support for women and children whilst they are living in the refuge. Residents are assigned a support worker when they arrive at the refuge who will work in partnership with them to develop a safety plan and a support plan to enable the women and children to get their life back on track. 
 
The support workers can help with: 
 
Legal issues 
Benefits, budgeting or other financial matters 
Housing and resettlement 
Children's issues 
Advocating on your behalf 
Health problems 
Accessing other services 
Emotional support 
Accessing language support 
Children in the refuge 
Children & Young People 
 
Children arriving at the refuge will have been affected in a variety of ways by the domestic abuse they have been involved in. Each child’s experience of domestic abuse varies, some may have witnessed the abuse, some may have intervened and some may have been coerced into perpetrating the abuse. They will feel confused about the sudden changes, they will be aware that their mum is upset but they will not understand why, they will be fearful and insecure of what to expect from life in a refuge.  
 
We have qualified children’s support workers who work individually with children to support them to settle into the refuge and to help them overcome their experiences. In addition they will work in partnership with mums and the refuge staff, to provide individual family support. 
 
 
Children and Young People's Service 
 
The children and young people’s support service offers a wide range of support for children/young people who are living with or fleeing domestic abuse both in the refuge and in the community. 
 
Children and young people who are survivors of domestic abuse need: 
 
Someone to talk to 
Someone who will listen 
Someone to help 
Someone to give advice 
Someone to trust 
Someone to befriend them 
 
We can offer: 
 
One to one emotional and educational support 
Opportunities for group and family activities 
Outreach support 
Self-esteem building 
Group participation 
Activities and outings during school holidays 
Support on how to reduce risks and stay safe 
Opportunities to have fun without feeling the tension of being in an abusive environment 
Children and Young People's Service 
 
The children and young people’s support service offers a wide range of support for children/young people who are living with or fleeing domestic abuse both in the refuge and in the community. 
 
Children and young people who are survivors of domestic abuse need: 
 
Someone to talk to 
Someone who will listen 
Someone to help 
Someone to give advice 
Someone to trust 
Someone to befriend them 
 
We can offer: 
 
One to one emotional and educational support 
Opportunities for group and family activities 
Outreach support 
Self-esteem building 
Group participation 
Activities and outings during school holidays 
Support on how to reduce risks and stay safe 
Opportunities to have fun without feeling the tension of being in an abusive environment 
Outreach 
 
We offer outreach support for children and young people from birth upwards. We provide someone to talk to on a one to one basis about their experiences of living with or witnessing domestic abuse and also to understand their feelings, build confidence, self-esteem and help children to recognise that they are not alone and that the abuse they have experienced is not their fault. 
Refuge 
 
The children’s workers in the refuge provide regular play sessions in the refuge and outings in the holidays and after school. Most importantly, they offer children and young people the opportunity for someone to listen to them, giving them the opportunity to talk about their feelings. Organised activities with other children in the setting plays a huge part in recovery for children. 
Nursery 
 
The refuge nursery provides a high quality play environment for children under 5 years on a daily basis. Our specialist practitioners provide fun activities and appropriate activities to support children to deal with the trauma of their experiences in a safe and secure environment. 
 
In addition the service provides a valuable crèche service for Hull Women’s Aid service users when they have to attend essential meetings and appointments such as health care needs, solicitors or court. The specialist practitioners also provides essential support for mothers and their children including delivering a nurturing programme. 
 
Preventative work 
 
The children’s team also provide preventative work which includes: 
 
Effects of domestic abuse on children and young people training 
Domestic abuse awareness training 
Talks and presentations 
Delivery of violence free programme in schools. 
Delivery of healthy relationship programme in schools 
 
Contact us on: 01482 446099 
Or if you prefer, you could get someone else to call – a friend, someone in your family, or someone from your school. 
 
Floating Support 
 
Our Floating Support workers’ role includes the provision of one-to-one emotional and practical support to women in their own home who have experienced domestic abuse. The support is tailored to each individual woman's needs and may include practical support, e.g. tenancy support, accessing services and legal issues. It can also include: 
 
Providing a listening ear 
Setting up a new home 
Discussing the options available 
Support with issues related to children or parenting 
Confidence building 
Helping women access legal advice and other support available to them 
Support with court orders 
Support and information about safety measures 
Budgeting skills/financial management 
Debt management 
Women’s safety work 
 
The floating support worker can also act as an advocate on behalf of women with other agencies and will accompany them to appointments as appropriate, she will empower the women to make informed choices to enable them to re-establish their lives in the community free from abuse. 
 
How do I access it? 
 
Women can either contact Hull Women's Aid directly, or can be referred by agencies or professionals, such as, health workers, social services, voluntary agencies, etc. Anyone who contacts us is dealt with in the strictest of confidence. 
 
Floating Support 
 
Our Floating Support workers’ role includes the provision of one-to-one emotional and practical support to women in their own home who have experienced domestic abuse. The support is tailored to each individual woman's needs and may include practical support, e.g. tenancy support, accessing services and legal issues. It can also include: 
 
Providing a listening ear 
Setting up a new home 
Discussing the options available 
Support with issues related to children or parenting 
Confidence building 
Helping women access legal advice and other support available to them 
Support with court orders 
Support and information about safety measures 
Budgeting skills/financial management 
Debt management 
Women’s safety work 
 
The floating support worker can also act as an advocate on behalf of women with other agencies and will accompany them to appointments as appropriate, she will empower the women to make informed choices to enable them to re-establish their lives in the community free from abuse. 
 
 
How do I access it? 
 
Women can either contact Hull Women's Aid directly, or can be referred by agencies or professionals, such as, health workers, social services, voluntary agencies, etc. Anyone who contacts us is dealt with in the strictest of confidence. 
 
Useful websites: 
 
 
If you are an adult wanting support for a young person affected by domestic abuse: 
Please talk to the young person about the service before contacting us, and check that they want a service from us. 
Make sure they think that domestic abuse is an issue for them. 
 
Call us on 01482 446099 and give us details about the young person who wants to see us. 
Useful websites: 
 
 
If you are an adult wanting support for a young person affected by domestic abuse: 
Please talk to the young person about the service before contacting us, and check that they want a service from us. 
Make sure they think that domestic abuse is an issue for them. 
 
Call us on 01482 446099 and give us details about the young person who wants to see us. 
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