Women’s Refuge
Stroud Women’s Refuge
Stroud Women’s Refuge (SWR) is an inclusive women’s service that offers a sanctuary where you and your children can safely recover and begin the process of rebuilding your lives.
Arriving at SWR
You will have already completed a referral with us over the phone and we will have given you some details about the refuge, how to get here and who will meet you.
When you arrive, your domestic abuse support worker or another member of the team will welcome you and your children into the house.
We will guide you through some forms and explain more about what living here will be like, then show you around and introduce you to the other people living in the house.
Refuge Life
While staying at the refuge you and your children will have your own bedroom. The other areas of the house including the kitchen, living room, bathrooms and playroom are shared.
Your support worker and other staff can help you apply for benefits, register with a local GP and school, apply for housing, and find other professional services you may need such as solicitors and health visitors.
Your support worker will meet you once a week at least and can help you identify other support you may need such as debt management, understanding your children’s response to domestic abuse and understanding more about your experiences of domestic abuse including safety planning.
Resettlement and move-on support is available to everyone staying in our women’s refuge. Your domestic abuse support worker will work with you and your children to build plans for the future.
Group Work and Activities
We hold weekly group sessions looking at subjects like:
- What is domestic abuse?
- What are the effects of domestic abuse on children?
- Moving on from the refuge
- Being safe at home
There are various activities in the refuge that you and your children can join in with such as cooking, arts & crafts and yoga. There is a playroom which is free to use all day, we just ask you to supervise your own children and tidy up once you have finished.
