Helping women and children escape family violence, one bed at a time

At Women's Community Shelters, a phone call usually signals another woman needs help.She might be a young woman who can't find work or pay rent, an older woman with little superannuation, or a mother fleeing family violence with nowhere else to go.WCS invites her into one of its crisis shelters across Sydney or regional NSW, where a brief screening process leads to a bed for her and any children (if there are no vacancies, WCS will try to find one elsewhere).Caseworkers then help her settle in and feel safe before the deeper work begins."Caseworkers build a personalised case plan with each woman, addressing safety, health, legal and support needs, and building a sense of hope," explained acting CEO Sue Cripps."The program also connects women to employment pathways and resume support to help them confidently re-enter the workforce and, ultimately, move into a safe, independent place to call home."Women and children are increasingly turning to homelessness services like Women's Community Shelters to escape family and domestic violence across Australia. Picture: WCSThe need is vast. AIHW's 2024–25 Specialist Homelessness Services report found agencies helped around 117,000 clients who...