Safe Supported Accommodation for victims of Domestic Abuse

The proposed service will provide support for:

• people and their children who have experienced domestic abuse, or who are at risk of being abused; and
• who are also in need of short-term, safe, supported accommodation. 21 units of accommodation, will be available for the provision of the service. This is a refuge for women and children and consists of 20 self-contained flats and one self-contained bedsit, usually used for emergencies. The successful provider will need to sign a Service Level Agreement with the Housing Association landlord of the property. Additionally, the successful provider will be expected to provide:
• a minimum of 41 additional units which can be a mixture of another refuge provision, safe, dispersed properties, or smaller blocks of accommodation; these will be funded through rental income and housing benefit; and
• a further 8 units of safe accommodation, as a minimum, by the end of the first 2 years of the contract period .i.e. a minimum of 70 units in total. The accommodation offer should comply with the following constraints:
• units must be in different locations across the city to offer choice and safety.
• be a mix of furnished, self-contained bedsits, plus1, 2 and 3 bedroom units, i.e. not shared accommodation.
• Some properties / units should be included that are adapted, or can be adapted to address accessibility issues for people with physical and/or sensory impairments, including some units which have wheelchair access;
• Include, or be able to include target hardening measures; and
• provide a concierge service in all accommodation that is of a refuge type i.e. not dispersed. A flexible and responsive out of hours on call service would need to be made available for all units that are dispersed, to provide advice and support, including to those onsite, where required. All concierge posts in women only provision will be female.