Refuge Service

The Refuge Service provides safe accommodation to adult women and their children who are experiencing domestic abuse and are unable to stay in their own homes or access alternative safe accommodation. Changing Pathways provides refuge accommodation for up to 46 women and their children, including 16 self-contained flats for women and their children who are ready to move on from the refuge or who have older male children or have a level of needs which requires self-contained accommodation.

All Changing Pathways accommodation provides your own private room/s and we have a mix of private and shared bathrooms, kitchens and living areas. You will be provided with ongoing support, advocacy and information on issues such as housing, benefits, safe child contact, police and court processes, safety planning and access to other specialist services that may be of help to you. You will also receive ongoing emotional support from the team of Refuge Practitioners and can access other Changing Pathways services, including the Counselling Service.

Children and young people living in the refuge can access the specialist groups and activities for children and young people affected by domestic abuse including art therapy, a children’s recovery group, play-based activities, fun events, access to creative arts and one of our refuge sites hosts a crèche facility for pre-school children.

Refuge accommodation is a temporary solution until your own accommodation and tenancy options are safely put into place. We aim for an average length of stay not to exceed six months so that we can seek more permanent housing for women and children as soon as is feasible. However, this will depend on many circumstances and the Refuge Practitioners will support you through each stage of your move into a new, safer pathway for your life.

Refuge referrals are preferred over the phone. Refuge staff must talk to the women:
Telephone: Basildon refuge: 01268 581591 Thurrock refuge: 01375 845899