Our vision is for a time when the voices of women, children and young people living with domestic violence, are heard and understood, where support and information is available locally, where the communities in which we live are safer, healthier and where domestic violence is eliminated.

Our core aims

• provide temporary refuge to women and their children suffering emotional, mental, physical or sexual abuse within their home
• encourage the woman to take control of her own future, whether this involves returning home or beginning an independent life
• recognise and care for the emotional needs of the children involved
• offer support and advice to any woman who asks for it, whether or not she is living in a refuge and to offer supportive aftercare to women leaving the refuge
• educate and inform the public, the media, the courts, social services and other agencies, always mindful of the fact that abused women are a direct result of the general position of our society.

Our values

• High quality services
  We have a commitment to provide professional, quality services which reflect the involvement of staff, volunteers and service users. Consultation with service users is a key component of our work. We provide support and direction to staff with a focus to continual improvement of practices and services.
• Self help
  Self help plays a vital role in our work with women and children. Women are supported, as they share their experiences with other service users. They learn from each other as they rediscover their identity and their self worth. As this discovery develops, self-confidence and self-esteem increase and personal growth and empowerment move women forward. Women empower themselves to make choices with confidence.
• Non-judgemental
  We are committed to delivering anti-discriminatory services and providing strong recognition of equality and diversity.
• Respect
  We respect and value the experiences of service users, staff and volunteer members as well as the contribution of all stakeholders and partners.
• Self determination
  We work from a non-directive approach. The choices made by women are supported by staff and volunteers. Women are supported and encouraged to develop a belief in themselves.
• Women
  We are a woman focussed organisation and deliver our core work using a woman only staff and volunteer team. We believe it is vital to support women in crisis, both to create a safe environment and also to provide positive, strong role models. We recognise the need to provide positive male role models for children and young people, and to engage the support of men where their expertise will inform and enhance service delivery and planning.
• Children and young people
  We recognise the direct and indirect impact of domestic violence and abuse on children and young people and will continue to deliver services and develop programmes to meet their needs.
• Human rights, equal opportunity and diversity
  We are committed to the principles of equal opportunities and to achieving diversity within its capacity as an employer and a provider of services. We will actively challenge discrimination both within our own organisation, where it is identified with partners and in the wider community. We recognise domestic violence and abuse as a contravention of the human rights of people within our society.
• Public awareness and education
  By raising public awareness around the complex issues arising from domestic violence and abuse, we seek to address the underlying causes through education, prevention and training work.