You deserve to feel safe
Crisis Accommodation
If you are in immediate risk of harm, we offer crisis accommodation for you and your children in a safe and secure location. Harbour operates two refuges supporting women and children who have fled their home due to family or domestic violence. The refuge accommodation offers a 24 hour staffed, high security facility with a total of one single room and ten family rooms. Each room has its own bathroom although kitchen, laundry and outdoor areas are shared. You will have access to a small fridge in your room as well as your own lockable pantry.
There is a nightly accommodation fee which is $22.00 per adult and $6 per night per child up to a maximum of three children charged. The maximum payable is $280 per week however no-one is denied a service if they are or will be in financial hardship. Whilst the accommodation is short term everyone’s stay is unique to their circumstances. We usually work on a 12 week timeframe and assist you to identify options of housing and support after you leave our refuge. Staff provide intensive support in a safe space to help in your recovery, building independence with wrap around supports. We are led by you in how you wish to move forward.
How We Can Help
We recognise every woman’s situation is different and will provide support based on your individual situation. Referrals for accommodation can come from you, police or emergency care providers or other trusted services.
If you have children, they can also be accommodated with you and will receive specialist support from our child advocates in an age appropriate and child friendly environment.
Cultural, language and disability access needs are met to the best of our ability and with help from other confidential support agencies.
While in the Refuge, women and children have access to a range of support services including:
- Clothing, food and toiletry supplies
- Referrals for legal assistance & counselling services
- Violence restraining orders & Safety planning
- Court Support
- Centrelink entitlements and applications
- Referrals for financial counselling
- Emergency relief
- Group support programs
- Transport to appointments
- Referrals to parenting services
- Support with applications to housing providers
- Access to health services for women and children
- Assistance and support to access child education services including schooling options
Eligibility
To stay in the refuge you must have experienced an incident of family or domestic violence and as a result you have had to leave your home for your own safety.
Harbour advocates will perform a telephone assessment prior to entry and because we are a high risk security refuge it is important you are aware of the following conditions of stay;
- A curfew is in place for an 8pm return time each night. This is so we can perform our nighttime securing of the premises.
- You will need to advise us when you are leaving the refuge, where you are going and returning in the event something occurs in the community and we need to assist police to locate you.
- You are unable to consume alcohol or drugs within our refuge.
- If you do consume alcohol and drugs whilst in the community you must return in a condition where you can perform self care and the care for your children
- To ensure everyone’s safety, we ask that you keep the location of the refuge confidential.
Quick Links
Extend a lifeline to those in crisis.
Your donation ensures safe refuge for women and children escaping domestic violence. Donate to Harbour’s Crisis Accommodation and be a beacon of hope.
