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Refuge Accommodation

 What is the refuge service?

Refuges provide emergency temporary housing for single women and women with children who are freeing themselves from domestic violence. Solace Women’s Aid runs 7 refuges across London for 76 single women and women with children.

Staff at all refuges work in partnership with women and children to shape and tailor the services we offer to create a unique and vibrant resource for each individual.

Who is it for?

Our refuges are for single women and women with children who are fleeing domestic violence and need a safe place to live. We accept boys up to the age of sixteen but we need to assess families with boys over 12 years.

One of our refuges provides accommodation for larger families and those with boys up to sixteen years.  Another of our refuges, Solas Anois was established in response to the growing awareness of the particular needs of Irish/Traveller women and children.  It remains the only Irish and Traveller specialist refuge in the U.K. Their specialist knowledge of the Irish/Traveller culture enables the provision of a service sensitive to, and responsive to the individual needs of the Irish and Traveller women and children.

Several of our refuges have dedicated space for women with disabilities. We provide interpreters for women who do not speak English and our staff speak a number of languages. We have two spaces across our refuges for women with no recourse to public funds and accept women who have no recourse and are funded by local authorities.

Who are the workers?

All refuges are staffed by experienced and trained staff who provide individual support for women. All refuges also have a children’s worker who provide both individual and group support for children. Regular house meetings mean that any ideas or concerns are listened to and acted on.

What kind of support?

Women are assigned a support worker as soon as they enter the refuge. She agrees a safety plan and a support plan with each woman. The support includes emotional support, accessing and applying for welfare benefits, support with physical and mental health including registering with a GP, referral to schools and nurseries, support with accessing education, training or work, support with drug or alcohol issues, accessing religious or cultural groups and counselling. She will also discuss a legal options, including acting as a witness against the perpetrator should a woman wish to do this.

We also run a number of different groups in the refuge including workshops on domestic violence, parenting and life skills. Groups for children include play groups, mother and baby groups, after school and holiday play schemes and feelings groups for the children. These provide an invaluable space for women and children to make sense of their experiences and provide support to move on.

We aim to empower women and children, supporting them to realise the opportunity they have created so they can lead their life free from Domestic Violence.  

How can I contact the refuge service?

You can contact SWA advice and they will let you know where there are refuge spaces immediately available. We also take referrals from statutory and voluntary agencies.

Phone: Freephone 0808 802 5565

Open: Monday: 10.00am-4.00pm

            Tuesday: 2.00pm-4.30pm

             Wednesday: 10.00am-4.00pm

             Thursday: 10.00am-1.00pm

             Friday: 10.00am-4.00pm

or email advice@solacewomensaid.org

You can also phone the National Domestic Violence Helpline :

0808 2000 247 (free phone) 24 hours