Safe Haven
Working with families escaping domestic violence
What We Do...
The Safe Haven project provides bespoke support for families recovering from domestic violence in Bolton.
What We Offer...
- One- to-one work with each member of the family
- Whole family group work
- Peer support groups or projects for parents and children respectively
- Referrals to other services with ongoing support, mediation and advocacy
- Coaching and experiential learning
- Joint working with special inputs such as art, outdoor pursuits and leisure
Why We Do It...
Endeavour acknowledges that various specialist support services are available through the local authority, schools, the NHS and the voluntary sector. However, families often fail to access or maintain contact with these services.
Too often families experience a repeat cycle between new home, original home and/or refuges, due to a failure to re-settle and cope in a new community.
There is a need for bespoke support and care for all the family to complement other specialist services and to maximise take-up of these services.
How this can help the families you work with...
Home based support will assist each family member in:
- Getting over particular experiences of domestic violence
- Finding ways of settling in, making new friends and coping with their new experiences
- Addressing early signs of anti-social behaviour in children by working in partnership with relevant agencies
- Taking-up and accessing specialist support services
- Developing problem solving and coping strategies, both in terms of practical problems, as well as dealing with their emotions
How we work...
All families referred to the Safe Haven project must be recovering from domestic violence and need support in sustaining their tenancies to help prevent a repeat cycle between refuge/hostel and their new home.
A referral can be made to Safe Haven via Bolton emergency accommodation providers, Bolton at Home Anti-social Behaviour Team or by downloading a referral form here.
Voluntary support plans are drawn up between the family and a Safe Haven support worker.
Referrals must be completed with family consent.
The Safe Haven project does not accept self-referrals.
TESTIMONIALS
Quotes from families who have used the
Pet Service, IDVA Service and Safe Haven Project

Safe Haven has helped me and my family through a very hard and emotional time and for that I will always be grateful. Our lives are now worth living again and in the process I have made some very good friends.

I was a victim of domestic violence for 7 years, as were my children. We have always had pets they were and still are a part of our family.

The advice and support has helped me to see that the situation I was in is not the right was to be treated by anyone, with help I have been able to escape and start getting my health and life to how it should be and know the difference between a right and wrong relationship.

In the short time I have been coming to group, I have achieved so much and I feel that I have had a weight lifted’. ‘It has really made a difference to our lives.

It was an enormous relief to discover this service existed – as the pets are dearly loved and an extension of our family.

It has helped as I know if I ever need advice I can just ring up my worker and she will do her best for me and my daughter.

Group work has helped me and my son communicate - we can now talk instead of shouting at one another all the time. He is now a happy and settled young man, who feels more secure in himself and expresses confidence around others.