SERVICES

THE REFUGE

• Provides supported emergency accommodation for up to twelve women and their children.  
• Women staying at the refuge are given the opportunity to decide their own futures and offered the support they need to achieve their own aims.  
• Practical help and advice is available on legal, housing and welfare issues from our experienced refuge staff who also offer emotional support to women throughout their stay.  
• Refuge staff liaise with statutory and non-statutory agencies to ensure progress and maximise support services to meet the individual needs of each family.  
• The refuge is not staffed over night but we do have staff on-call who will deal with emergencies arising and are able to admit new residents providing space is available.  
• Outreach visits to women re-housed within Bolton offers support for 6-8 weeks after leaving the refuge. 

WOMEN'S SUPPORT CENTRE

The intense support offered to women in the refuge is complemented by services provided at the Support Centre. A wide range of services are on offer in the Women's Support Centre to any woman, whether resident or not. All services are self-referral and by appointment only.

• Information, advice and support either by telephone or on a one to one basis. The Centre is open Monday to Friday between 9am - 4pm. Answer phone available out of hours.  
• Practical help and advice on a wide range of issues  
• Crisis planning  
• Counselling service, provided by a team of around twelve counsellors. Any issue can be brought to counselling and the service is free and confidential. We are currently open for a twilight session on Thursdays and counselling is available between 4pm and 6pm. 
• Personal development group work (Level 1) - (i.e. self-esteem awareness, confidence building, positive thinking, developing skills around communication, assertiveness, relaxation, stress/anger awareness and management). New for 2005 - we now offer Level 2 personal development group work.  
• Workshops and courses including: "From Victim to Survivor", Learning about Domestic Violence, Communication Skills, Introduction to Personal Safety, as well as occasional craft workshops. Contact the Centre for further details. 
• Young Women at Risk Project for 13 to 19 year olds, offering information, advice, counselling and group work. 
• Occasional social trips for existing service users 
• Free crèche while mum's accessing our services (limited places) 
• 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women - annual event with varied programme of activities. 
• Recognising and Responding to Domestic Violence training for practitioners. 
• Volunteer recruitment and training (twice yearly). 

TO CONTACT THE WOMEN'S SUPPORT CENTRE TELEPHONE :- 01204 365677, FAX. 01204 525648
or E-mail fortalice@bwa43.fslife.co.uk

CHILDRENS SERVICES

These services are an important aspect of our work. Fortalice has long been aware of the consequences for children living with domestic violence and we give a high priority to their needs. Our two qualified children's workers provide a range of support services to meet these needs which include :-

• Playroom

  This is well equipped for the younger children - a refuge within a refuge, where children are allowed to express their feelings through play.

• After school club

  For children aged 4-7 years.

• Ballpool and soft play

  An area to enable the release of tensions in a safe environment.

• Youth club

  For older children aged 8 years +

• Computer club

  For children aged 5+ to complete their homework, explore the wonders of the internet or brush up on their computer skills.

• Holiday activities

  A chance for the children to partake in trips to local activity centres, theme parks, seaside resorts and other places of interest.

• Outreach visits

  Offered to children who are re-housed within Bolton to give support and information on facilities available in the community.

• Groupwork

  For young people to encourage self-confidence and promote assertiveness without aggression.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Training and development work is an important element of the work of Bolton Women's Aid. The training programme offered to statutory and non-statutory agencies covers a range of issues relating to the devastating effects of domestic violence has on families. Through training we aim to :-

• Raise awareness of the effects of domestic violence on women and children.  
• Look at the myths and prejudices about domestic violence.  
• Develop standards of good practice.  
• Inform you of what services are available in Bolton and nationally.  

During 1999, Bolton introduced two new initiatives :- · The Bolton Domestic Violence Strategy · The Bolton Crime & Disorder Reduction Strategy ( includes domestic violence ) Bolton Women's Aid plays a major part in co-ordinating and implementing recommendations included in these strategies by providing services, training and inputting into areas of preventative work on a multi-agency basis. The multi-agency approach will ensure that all advice and information is consistent and that women and children receive a cohesive, positive response from whichever agency they contact. Our membership of the various forums, committees and steering groups aims to ensure that the women and children experiencing domestic violence have a voice and can influence the services provided and that domestic violence remains on the agenda within the borough of Bolton.