Welwyn Hatfield Women's Refuge & Support Services Information

Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge & Support Services aims to: Provide a decent standard of accommodation to women & children fleeing domestic violence & abuse where they can feel safe. Provide advice, information and support with claiming benefits, seeking legal help, immigration issues, schools, doctors & the police. Provide help, information & advice about safe resettlement for women & children escaping domestic violence – whether they are in Refuge or not. Provide practical and emotional support and crisis counselling – whether they have escaped yet, or not. Provide facilities for children and Children’s Workers to support and advocate for them. Our objectives:- Victims are safer & have improved resources to remain safe. Women &children are empowered to improve their life chances through our advocacy services. To up-skill women to improve their work opportunities through workshops & e-learning Victims receive responsive services & well coordinated service pathways, which support sustained recovery & mitigation of the risks of further abuse & homelessness All victims are offered and equally accessible service which meets their needs. Victims report improved health, wellbeing & resilience for themselves and their families. Reduce future interventions by police and social services & burden on the public purse, with reduced emergency admissions due to harm and children’s life chances are vastly improved. All children of school age must attend school and for safety reasons this usually means starting at a new school. We work closely with local schools to ensure that changing school is as easy as possible for both mothers and children. Child Support Workers help to find a new school and give as much support throughout the process. Not all women living with domestic violence or abuse are ready or able to leave their home to go into a Refuge. Our Outreach Service offers the same level of advice, information & support to women in the local area who are not seeking refuge.