The NPA Women’s Shelter is staffed 24 hours 7 days a week and provides the NPA Communities with safe, secure crisis accommodation for women and children escaping from domestic and family violence.

The Shelter provides case management and support inside and outside of the women’s stay at the centre with emotional and practical support, assistance with securing housing, advocacy, referral to other services such as Centrelink and specialist counselling services. The staff also assist with the relocation of women and their children to a safe environment inside or outside of the NPA.

Key achievements 

• Successfully accommodated women and children and increased the number of bed nights women were staying at the shelter
• Successfully relocated women in complicated and dangerous circumstances with the help of DV Connect
• The draft development of a Women’s Shelter Model of Care and practice manual
• Located the DV Women’s Counsellor at the Shelter so that there is a smoother transition for all women into a counselling program
• Refurbishment of each unit to improve furniture, linen and curtains. Old furniture has been repurposed at the Shelter
• All shelter staff have been  engaged in educational events, including education and training in the practice manual and data collection.

We have also seen an increase in women self-referring to the service and accessing the shelter at the outset of a potentially violent situation rather than waiting for the violence to explode.

Shelter staff remained constant with a Shelter Manager and two permanent shift workers. The team are reliable and maintain a confidential service at all times. We have also introduced an on-call mobile phone that women can call or text to obtain support at their home if required.