Safer Places | Domestic Abuse Support Services

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Find out how we can help you?

If you think you are suffering from domestic abuse then you probably are… Safer Places offers a range of different services to support you and guide you through an abusive relationship. If you are not sure click here to find out more about what we can offer you, or to contact us for support right now, call 03301 025811. For information on our services you can e-mail info@saferplaces.co.uk.

It is important to remember domestic abuse takes many forms not just physical abuse. Click here to find out more about domestic abuse (domestic violence).

If you are a professional organisation and wish to make a referral call us on 03301 025811 or e-mail referrals@saferplaces.co.uk

COVID 19

Information about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

As per Government and Public Health England advice for Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are still operating and will continue to provide services and support to those who need our services whilst taking the necessary precautions.

We want to reassure our clients, teams and partners that we are working hard to keep our services open, and make sure that the people who need support will continue to receive it during these challenging and unprecedented times. In order to do this, we are changing how we deliver our services.

We are reducing our face to face contact within our accommodation sites and all community support will be delivered by telephone or an alternative method chosen our clients.

All group activities, programmes and training are suspended at this time.

To refer into our services, please call us on 03301 025 811 or email us at info@saferplaces.co.uk. Please do not use the online form at this time – our working from model does not support this referral format.

We are working to protect our clients from the spread of the virus. We are actively working with local authorities to ensure that appropriate and safe accommodation is obtained as far as is possible for those who are high risk and vulnerable to the virus in order to shield them. We will of course use our own accommodation where safe to do so, where we do not have accommodation available, any other accommodation sought, as always is out of our control in many cases. Our extended accommodation licence sets out reasonable behaviour for our clients – we uphold these expectations to further protect our clients living in our safe accommodation, including breaches around anti-social or racist behaviour which will include being reckless and not abiding by the latest government guidance in regards to COVID 19.

As the situation with COVID-19 is developing quickly, we are following Government and public health guidance to continue delivering our front-line services whilst minimising the risk to our staff and clients.

Further information and advice will be shared through our website and social media channels as it becomes available.

For information detailing the government response please see the government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

For the latest health advice please refer to the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Our Services

Safe Accommodation

We have safe accommodations in West Essex, Mid Essex and Hertfordshire, providing supported accommodation

Outreach (Community Support)

Outreach provides support in the community, if you cannot or do not need safe accommodation

Additional Services

Additional services provided by Safer Places can be accessed by the Practitioner for those having 1:1 support or by the gateway for those who do not want 1:1 support. These include; Access to “drop-in” service which is held every weekday in every area, clients can come along and meet with […]

Training

Safer Places offers a range of specialist Domestic Violence/Abuse training to professionals. All of our training is developed and delivered by experts to meet the needs of practitioners who come into contact with people affected by Domestic Abuse or to raise awareness to members of the public. Our training includes […]

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Our Mission

To support those who use/ need our services in their journey from risk and crisis to recovery and resilience. We are determined to promote recognition of Domestic Abuse and its impact, for individuals, families and communities.
We will respond to Domestic Abuse by providing a range of evidence based specialist services on the basis of risk, need and choice.
We will work collaboratively with individuals, families and partner agencies to reduce risk of harm.
We are committed to using effective governance to provide an efficient, effective, flexible and innovative service making best use or our resources on behalf of our funders.

Our Vision

We want to see a society where all people are safe and can feel safe within their close relationships and for children to grow up free of Domestic Abuse in their lives: A society with zero tolerance of Domestic Abuse.
We want to be certain that victims of Domestic Abuse have the confidence to report any abuse and to know how and where to get the support they need.
We want a society where perpetrators are enabled to recognise and address their abusive behaviours.

Our Values

Building on strengths and developing resilience.
Respecting choice and self determination.
Ensuring evidence based assessment and interventions.
Collaborating with partner organisations, respecting the roles and specialisms of others.
Being passionate about the welfare of children.
Being committed to a community wide approach to recognising and responding to Domestic Abuse.
Ensuring inclusiveness across diverse communities. Proactively reaching out to those experiencing hidden harm.
Taking a professional non- judgemental approach to all those we work with. Working towards zero tolerance of Domestic Abuse. Ensuring the right interventions which ensure we get it right first time.

what they say about us

Safer Places refuge has been a lovely safe place to live. We’ve felt very welcome and have been well looked after. I was not aware that such great help was available. I feel very lucky to have been looked after and to have lived in such a nice, clean, and comfortable place.

The staff that work at Safer Places are amazing both in crisis and move on. The support I have received exceeds anything I could have expected!

The help I received was absolutely invaluable the staff were so friendly and extremely helpful I really couldn’t have got through this without them.

I appreciate all the help that was given to me and the children by my support worker and staff, and was really happy with the support given.

My support worker was so kind, caring and understanding. She was very knowledgeable and was happy to help me with my debt problems and advice on housing. Her sense of humour kept me going and I shall miss her in a way. I’m glad I can come back if I need to. All the staff were brilliant. Thank God there’s somewhere for women to go like this. I only wish I’d known about it earlier. The police should be more forthcoming about Women’s Aid [Safer Places].

My support worker provided excellent support during an incredibly difficult time – she was a friendly ear, and listened to my needs.

Thank you for being there when I needed it. I found you all happy, cheerful and polite.

I think it’s a really good service. I don’t know where I would be now if I didn’t have the support and information which I gained. Other people don’t have information on law/benefits/housing and how it affects you.

Refuge X is a lovely haven for anybody facing DV. I was made to feel welcome from the moment I rang for bed space. My room was warm, pleasant, clean and tidy with my own shower which was important to me. Being quite self-sufficient my greatest need was housing advice, I felt supported but more than anything safe.

My son and I have enjoyed our stay here. The staff have made us feel welcome and treated us with respect. We have also been on trips when kids have been on holiday planned by Safer Places. I have been on so many courses and been awarded certificates for them. I have also received counselling which has helped me a great deal. My support worker has gone out of her way to support me and my family. All the staff have been amazing. All the courses have helped boost my confidence and coming here has made me ready to go back out there to live a normal life again. Thanks to all the staff from Safer Places. Keep up the good work

Using Safer Places has made me a stronger person. I enjoyed my time in refuge but feel that I am ready to get my life back on track.

I am very grateful for the service I received from Safer Places. I don’t know what I would have done without the service I received. It really helped me put my life back on track and I achieved so much and am a very happy woman. Thank you all

I would just like to say that my support worker has been wonderful from the very first day my daughter and I came here. She has helped me with all issues I have had and I will miss having her as my support worker.

When arriving I was welcomed very kindly. All staff were very kind. It’s also good to be with other women who have been through DV to be able to talk to them. Everyone was really nice.

Safer Places provided me with support when I was at a bad place with no where to go. My time at the refuge has certainly educated me on types of DV and how to handle such relationships. There were plenty of opportunities to bond with other women of similar circumstances.