Safe Accommodation

Safe Accommodation

BCWA provides safe refuge and move-on accommodation to women and children made homeless through domestic abuse.

Our staff offer expert, specialised support for women and children within our refuges and accommodation services, helping them address both their practical and emotional needs. This includes providing assistance to ensure their safety and meet their essential needs, including finances and welfare benefits, housing (particularly in securing move-on accommodation), legal matters, immigration issues, health, education, training, and employment.

We manage 9 refuges, housing 54 women and 82 children, across Bromley and Croydon for families and individuals fleeing domestic abuse who need a safe place to stay in a crisis.

We also provide second stage dispersed accommodation and specialist support services.

Safe Beds Scheme

Launched in 2013, Bromley & Croydon Women’s Aid’s Safe Beds Scheme enables Local Authorities to quickly place families in refuge, including those with No Recourse to Public Funds. BCWA provides temporary, safe accommodation for women and children who might otherwise be placed in costly and unsafe B&Bs within our independent refuges, as well as specialised support for minority ethnic and migrant women.

For migrant women made homeless by domestic abuse, the path to stable accommodation is not easy but BCWA are proud to have won a prestigious London Homelessness Award in 2023 for our work supporting some of the most marginalised women across the country.

Safer Futures Project

One of the biggest challenges for women leaving refuge accommodation is finding suitable, affordable housing (‘move-on’ accommodation). With 39% of survivors moving twice or more in the first year after separation, being able to offer families a safe and supported next step is invaluable to our service users.

In 2021, BCWA achieved registered provider status with the Regulator for Social Housing paving the way to the development of our housing services with a £2.75m loan from Social and Sustainable Capital to fund the purchase of 11 dispersed flats in Bromley & Croydon.

If you’d like to find out more about our safe accommodation or if we have a refuge space available, please call us on 020 8313 9303. Professionals, please visit our referrals page here.

What is it like to live in a refuge?

A refuge is more than just a shelter; it’s a safe home for women and children who have experienced violence and abuse. Here, you’ll find understanding and support from both fellow residents and dedicated staff, all committed to helping you settle in and plan for your future.