Advice for Professionals
Refuge Services
About The Refuge
Refuge accommodation Is provided by Lighthouse Women’s Aid to offer a safe, supported environment for women and their children requiring an emergency or temporary home when they leave an abusive partner or family member.
About the Accommodation
Families have their own bedrooms, which are furnished for immediate use. Shared living areas include a laundry room, lounge, kitchen, bathroom, toilets and outdoor play and seating area.
How we can support you
Staff at the refuge will support women to access other agencies including help with accessing benefits, seek housing, registering with doctors, health visitors, antenatal care and legal advice.
The Children’s Service Team will assist with the admission of children and young people to schools and nursery places
Welfare staff will be available to help women settle and regain their self-esteem with daily support and sign posting to appropriate services and wellbeing opportunities locally
Resettlement support will be offered as women move on
Aspects of Communal Living
To ensure that all residents feel welcome, comfortable and safe whilst staying in the refuge, there are a number of rules which all women and children are required to follow:
To respect and comply with the conditions laid out in their Licence Agreement
There is a strict non-smoking policy in the refuge buildings with a designated outdoor smoking area
Alcohol and substance use and possession is completely forbidden on site
For Confidential Advice or to Refer
Please call our Refuge on 01473 745 111
Refuge Leaflet
For more information, download our refuge leaflet.
Community Services
We provide face to face advice appointments in Ipswich, Felixstowe and Stowmarket, as well as telephone advice appointments and therapeutic courses, which are face to face or online. This is a service for Suffolk and open to all women, young people and children who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse.
Therapeutic Workshops: Throughout the year we offer a wide range of therapeutic classes and workshops with the aim of improving health and wellbeing. It is also an opportunity to learn new skills in a friendly and relaxed group whilst making new friends and having some fun too.
Support
We are able to offer advice and support around domestic abuse – appointments are available with one of our trained advisors to discuss your issue in confidence and without judgement. Please call our advice line to book an advice appointment. 01473 228270
Legal Advice: For women experiencing domestic abuse we can offer the opportunity to discuss any legal issues, worries or questions you may have. Please speak to the advice worker at your appointment if you would like this support.
Women’s Centre Leaflet
For more information, download our centre leaflet.
Available Programmes:
Freedom Programme: This is a 10 week educational programme that is suitable for those who are currently or have been in an abusive relationship. It helps women to make positive choices to protect themselves and their children. The group is run in groups both online and face to face.
Re-Connect & Play: This group is for mums and children aged between 5 and 11 to come together for some quality time to play. It aims to develop relationships using fun and therapeutic techniques that will have a positive impact on the family unit. These 6 weeks sessions will be interactive, physical and fun.
Re-Connect Together: Re-Connect Together is a 6 week course for children aged between 7 – 13 years old and their Mums. The course aims to improve the attachment between mother and child. This is done by exploring:
Power to Change: The course is a psychoeducational self help group which runs over 11 weeks and is offered to those who are no longer in an abusive relationship. It focuses on changing patterns of learned behaviour, broadening understanding and look at coping strategies. The course offers the opportunity to learn new skills in a safe and supportive group.
The Voice: The voice is a 12 week, in person programme designed for adults who want to explore and understand the dynamics of coercive control and the behaviours that contribute to abusive relationships.
Escape the Trap: A programme designed to inform young people about teenage relationship abuse. The aim is to learn about the dynamics of power and control at a much earlier stage in their experience of intimate relationships. This is a free 8 week programme for teenagers who are vulnerable to relationship abuse.