| The
Haven Wolverhampton operates a 24 hour service for women and children
who are escaping Domestic Violence and/or who are homeless due
to reasons such as family breakdown, harassment and forced marriages.
Within
that service is the fundamental, all important Referral Line; this
line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Staff
are always on hand to offer advice, support and primarily, help
in finding safe accommodation within The Haven (if spaces are available)
or with other organisations across the Midlands and further afield
(if required).
Our Referrals
Administrator works from 9.30 - 5.00pm, 5 days a week, and part
of this role is
to empower women by helping them to realise that
they
have
choices outside of their current situation. The Referrals Administrator
spends a lot of time liaising with multi agencies - such as Social
Services, Housing Departments, Police and Women's Aid projects up
and down the country - so she has a wide knowledge of the
options available to each caller for her individual needs. The
referrals Administrator
is
aware
of
any vacancies
we
have, and
fulfils the role advising of availability, in order to keep our hostels
at their full capacity at all times. She advises on alternative
accommodation if we are unable to assist due to
lack of bed space.
We receive loads
of calls from women who are not looking for hostel accommodation
but simply want someone to
talk to, listen and acknowledge their situation with someone who
has a
non-judgmental view. It is our experience that if vulnerable women
can access and call the referral line 24 hours a day, it plays a
great part in helping them learn to cope with their situation,
even when they
are not yet ready to break free from the violence and abuse which
caused them to ring us in the first place.
In
an average year, we receive calls from over 4000
women, who are victims of abuse from a partner, friend, stranger
or family member. It is to be noted that these calls
are daytime calls only. This number does not include calls
received by out-of-hours staff after 5.30pm or at weekends,
which are very busy times for staff.
For every woman who calls we endeavour to offer the best
advice and support, and will continue to grow in empathy
for the benefit of the women and children.
|
On 28th October 2005 The Haven Wolverhampton was subject to a
'mystery shop' exercise undertaken as part of an internal inspection
into Supporting People services at Wolverhampton City Council. As
part of the 'mystery shop' exercise her remit was to act as a victim
of domestic violence and try to find somewhere to live.
The
Haven Wolverhampton is pleased to report that the feedback
for the exercise was as follows:
" Your staff members were most polite and helpful. They arranged her accomodation
on an emergency basis and gave her the necessary information at this stage.I
would be pleased if you could extend our thanks to the staff on duty for
their calm and kind responses."
We were delighted by this positive feedback, so well done to
everyone involved!
Kelly Ward
Referral line Administrator (7/11/05) |
