Support options

Outreach

Our outreach service is designed to provide support to women in the community who do not wish to enter refuge accommodation. Referrals can be made either from the woman directly or from workers from other agencies. However, before making a referral on behalf of someone, please be sure that this is a service that the woman wishes to engage in. The Outreach service is available to women regardless of whether they are with the perpetrator of abuse or not. This service is generally delivered in our office base but if necessary we can arrange to meet a woman elsewhere when it is safe to do so.

What happens when we receive a referral?

Once we receive a referral we undertake an Initial Assessment, which includes a specialist Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (Caada DASH). This process can take up to an hour to complete, and may require further follow up to manage safety / support needs of the woman. We will inform women of the outcome of their assessment and they will be offered support or placed on our waiting list if necessary. If women are on a waiting list we will keep in regular contact to let them know when they will be at the top of the list.

Once women are allocated a key worker we offer 6 appointments in Outreach. This is to allow for us to provide focussed support to as many women as possible. Where it has been identified at the end of the 6 appointments that she still requires support, the keyworker will make a recommendation for an extension to the Team Leader / Senior Practitioner.

Responsive

For women accessing our service when they are in crisis to obtain information and advice on their rights and responsibilities, the services we offer and refuge. DWA has a support line which is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, 9.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm. Thursdays, 9:30pm-12:30pm. Although we offer an appointment system, women can drop in to the office if necessary and someone will be available to see them. We also recognise that some women find it difficult to work with the appointment system and responsive support provides a more flexible option.

Refuge

We have refuge spaces scattered throughout the City of Dundee. DWA has a mix of one and two bedroom properties and none of the properties is shared accommodation. Click here to visit our Refuge Section.