Support in the community

You may not need, or want, to access refuge accommodation. Our outreach workers support survivors in their homes or in a safe place within the community.

Support that comes to you.

We offer wide-ranging community outreach services that meet women experiencing domestic abuse where they are, physically and emotionally, on their journey to safety.

Leaving an abusive partner is a process.

Some women may not need or want to access refuge accommodation. They may benefit instead from confidential outreach support in a safe place.

You may still be living with your abuser, be planning to leave, or have already left to rebuild your life. Whatever point you are at in your journey to safety, our outreach workers can offer strategies to help you and your children keep safe.

Looking for community outreach services?

Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, for free and in confidence, 24 hours a day: 0808 2000 247. You can also chat with us live on the website, Monday-Friday 10 am - 10 pm.

Go to the Helpline website

All women who experience, or have recently experienced, domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence can access our outreach services. 

Whether you are living at home, moving out of a refuge, or already living in a new community, our outreach workers will support you. Some of our outreach services also support men.

You will have your own key worker, who will tailor support based on your individual needs. The key worker will meet with you wherever you feel safe and comfortable, whether that is at one of Refuge’s offices or in a local cafe or park. Many Refuge outreach workers also run drop-in sessions in their local communities.

Outreach workers may offer support with:

  • Safety planning
  • Contacting the police
  • Keeping you updated and informed if you are going through a court case
  • Attending court
  • Help with injunctions
  • Improving the safety of child contact
  • Access to safe housing options
  • Referrals to other services
  • Building self-confidence and independence
  • Welfare rights and legal support
  • Assistance when applying for grants and loans
  • Help with budgeting, paying bills and debts
  • Resettlement skills, such as shopping and cooking
  • Finding work, paid or unpaid
  • Access to training or education
  • Discussing the effects of experiencing domestic abuse

Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at 0808 2000 247. You can contact us, for free and in confidence, 24-hours a day. If it’s difficult to pick up the phone, you can chat with us live on the Helpline website. Live chat is available Monday – Friday, 10 am – 10pm.

“My outreach worker listened to how I felt and really understood what I had been through whilst in the relationship and after. She supported me through the court process, attending with me and explaining at every step what was going to happen next. It was fantastic always having her at the end of the phone to reassure and support me.”

Jane*, who used Refuge’s community outreach service in Derby City

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