Outreach Service
Our Outreach Service supports women who have experienced or who are experiencing domestic violence. Women do not need to have been in refuge to access this service although some will have. The service is available to ALL women, whether or not they have children.
The service is flexible to suit individual needs and whilst it provides one to one support, often works alongside other agencies to address all needs of women and their children. Some women ask for regular structured meetings with the Outreach Worker, others prefer to phone when support is required.
Outreach work entails becoming involved with a variety of practical tasks whilst providing the emotional and moral support that a woman might need to work towards being able to undertake these tasks for herself. The practical tasks may include form filling; accompanying someone to court, solicitors, housing or hospital etc; negotiating and liaising with other agencies; explaining documents and procedures; writing letters of support; referring to other services and professionals and making enquiries on a womans behalf. This is not an exhaustive list and the diversity of tasks increases as the number of women using the service increases.
The Outreach Worker is able to provide information and explore options with a woman which will assist her to make decisions about her future and that of her children. Women are also given access to materials used in training which explain why abuse occurs and how to overcome its effects.
The support provides essential help to a woman who has been assaulted, controlled and undermined resulting in confusion, low self-esteem and lack of motivation.
The Outreach Service operates alongside the refuge to provide a complete package of support to women and families experiencing domestic violence and abuse.