Refuge - 01494 461367
Outreach - 01494 449922
IDVA - 01494 449922
What we do
Introduction
Wycombe Women’s Aid is unique in the services that are offered to women and children who are survivors of domestic abuse. We believe that it is not enough to offer a safe place to stay, therefore we work intensively with our guests in the refuge and women in the community to enable them to move on emotionally, in a safe and secure environment. Follow this link to download a document that broadly outlines the services that Wycombe Women’s Aid is able to offer: Wycombe Women’s Aid Services overview
The following YouTube clip, made in conjunction with Buckinghamshire County Council, provides information about the different services that Wycombe Women’s Aid (and Aylesbury Women’s Aid) are able to provide. It also explains what somebody can do if they think somebody they know is experiencing domestic violence.
Wycombe Women’s Aid is a gender-specific service, supporting all women survivors of domestic violence. Wycombe Women’s Aid is committed to promoting equality and diversity within the services we deliver to survivors of domestic violence. This includes making our refuge, outreach and IDVA services inclusive. We recognise that lesbian, bisexual and trans* women may also be subject to violence and abuse from their current or former partner and all of our support services are accessible to, and available for, lesbian, bisexual and trans* women.
*Wycombe Women’s Aid is also committed to challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia within our service provision.
Wycombe Women’s Aid Services
Refuge
Wycombe Women’s Aid offers emergency, temporary and safe accommodation for women on their own and women with children who are escaping domestic violence. A refuge is a safe house where women can stay temporarily – some women may stay for a few days, others for many months. There are employees available to support women in deciding what they want to do next.
Read more about the Refuge….
Helpline
Bucks Domestic Abuse Service provides a helpline for individuals and agencies. The helpline can offer:
- Emotional and/or practical support
- Information about legal, housing, welfare and financial issues relating to domestic violence
- Support to local women seeking refuge away from Buckinghamshire
- Information about making a referral to Wycombe Women’s Aid refuge or Aylesbury Women’s Aid refuge
Read more about the Helpline
Children and Young People
Wycombe Women’s Aid has both a dedicated children’s service and a youth service which aim to meet the emotional, physical and educational needs of all the children living in the refuge. All of the children and young people will have been affected by domestic violence and specially trained Child Development Workers and a Youth Worker will support the children and young people throughout their stay.
Read more about Children and Young People
Outreach Services
Outreach
Wycombe Women’s Aid Outreach Service exists to help women living in the High Wycombe, South Bucks and Chiltern Districts of Bucks who are, or have been, abused by a partner or family member. The Outreach Service can offer someone to listen, someone to talk to, information, safety planning, advocacy and support.
Power to Change
Wycombe Women’s Aid delivers the Power to Change group – a 2 term educational self-help group for women who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic violence. The programme is designed to enable women to invest in their own personal development and covers topics such as basic rights, why it is hard to leave an abusive situation, boundaries, families and children, assertiveness skills and boundary setting, coping with grief, fear, guilt and anger, healthy relationships, endings and new beginnings.
Other Services
The Outreach Service also offers support, awareness raising and training workshops to other agencies, including schools, and individuals regarding domestic violence issues. Read more about Outreach Services
Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy (IDVA)
The Buckinghamshire IDVA Service is an independent, professional and confidential countywide service hosted by Wycombe Women’s Aid and Aylesbury Women’s Aid.
IDVAs provide crisis support and information for high or medium cases of domestic violence. They can offer:
- Advocacy
- Information on legal options and/or support through the court process
- Advice and information about options to improve safety
- Information on rights concerning housing and the legal process
- Support in developing a Personal Safety Plan and Action Plan
- Help to stay in your own home
IDVAs offer short-term crisis intervention for a limited time period before signposting to other agencies. Read more about IDVA
Counselling
Wycombe Women’s Aid counselling is a free service where two women (counsellor and client) meet in a private, safe and confidential setting to explore what has been happening or happened a while ago.
The service is for women in the High Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks districts of Buckinghamshire and who are currently experiencing domestic violence or who have experienced it in the past and are still dealing with its effects.
Read more about Counselling
Training
The Outreach Service offers support, awareness raising and training workshops to other agencies (including schools) and individuals regarding domestic violence issues. A Worker can also set up and facilitate workshops to improve work practice around domestic violence issues.
On request, a Worker will go to other organisations and give a presentation about various aspects of domestic violence or living in a refuge. Leaflets, posters and other publicity materials are available on request.
The Outreach Service will also provide information and support to other groups who are setting up services for women who have experienced domestic violence.Read more about Training
Wycombe Women's Aid P.O. Box 1477 High Wycombe Bucks HP11 9HP Registered Charity No. 299946 Registered Company No. 2245478 ©2016 Wycombe Women's Aid
Refuge: 01494 461367 Outreach: 01494 449922 IDVA: 01494 449922