Women and Children's Refuge

What is a Women and Children's Refuge?

The Women’s Refuge provides safe, secure accommodation for women and their children who are homeless or escaping domestic violence. The role of the Refuge is to provide accommodation, immediate protection from the violence and emotional support.

What other services does the Women and Children's Refuge offer?

When women and their children first arrive at the Refuge they are made to feel welcome by the qualified staff, who have expertise in supporting women and their children with their immediate issues/needs.

While staying at the Refuge each client is assigned a Case Worker, who assists the client with her short and long term goals. A Case Plan is implemented in conjunction with the client. This allows the client direction/focus to achieve their goals, with the support from the Case Worker.

With written permission from the client, the client can be referred to other agencies that could assist her with such issues as legal matters, housing, cultural and linguistic needs, health matters, assistance to reclaim her personal belongings, attending court, returning to her home, finding exit housing and re-locating to another Refuge.

Outreach Support is available to provide continual support for women and their children after they have left the Refuge.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence is any form of abusive behaviour that one person uses to establish and maintain control over another. Domestic violence takes on many different forms:

Physical Assault
Sexual Assault
Verbal Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Psychological Abuse
Social Control (often isolation)
Financial Control
Spiritual Control
Stalking and Harassment
Threats and other intimidation

Domestic violence occurs in all types of relationships

Domestic Violence can occur within all relationships of a personal nature, including heterosexual, marital, de facto, extended families and ex-relationships.

Domestic Violence IS A CRIME

There are no acceptable excuses, domestic violence is a crime and must be responded to as such.

Emergency Contact Numbers

Domestic Violence Hotline	24 Hours	1800 656 463
Link2Home	24 Hours	1800 152 152
Tamworth Women and Children's Refuge	24 Hours	1800 073 388
Tamworth Police	24 Hours	02 6768 2999
Tamworth Community Health Centre	8:00am to 5:00pm weekdays	02 6767 8100
Rape Crisis Centre	24 Hours	1800 424 017
Child Abuse Prevention Service	24 Hours	1800 688 009
Kids Helpline	24 Hours	1800 551 800
Lifeline	24 Hours	13 11 14

Emotional abuse can be worse than physical abuse.

It can range from direct threats to subtle putdowns and leave you feeling trapped and powerless.

You are not alone.

Please contact the above numbers for support.

More information about the Women and Children's Refuge can be found on the following pages. If you can't find what you are looking for, please don't hesitate to contact us on 1800 073 388.

Accommodation

What is it like in a Refuge? The refuge provides a clean, comfortable home-like environment where women and their children can feel safe, supported and protected. The Refuge offers communal living arrangements where the clients share kitchen, bathroom, laundry and living facilities. The Ref...

Outreach Program

The Outreach Case Worker provides support for women, men and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within the community. Men, Women and families are supported with making positive choices to enhance their strengths and family networks. We provide: Home Visits with prior...

History of Tamworth Women’s Refuge

Tamworth Women’s Refuge was officially opened on March 1st 1978, after unofficially opening it’s doors in January of that year. This date was only three years after the first Women’s Refuge “Elsie” opened in Sydney. Tamworth was the first Women’s Refuge in the New England region. The people wh...