TRANSITIONAL SUPPORTED HOUSING
“Transitional housing is given to women and children who on leaving a refuge are unable to access independent housing and need support to decide the best way forward” . The aim of Sonas Housing Association, which was established in 1992, is to provide this type of alternative accommodation. The model adopted was the provision of transitional supported housing together with move-on accommodation after a period of one to two years.
In 1997, when Sonas invited expressions of interest in replicating a model they had established in Killester, Dublin, in other areas around the country, the Mayo Service responded along with refuges in Dundalk and Navan. This led to the setting up of Sonas Housing Partnership which is made up of representatives of Sonas and service providers in the three areas. In Mayo, it was decided that Ballina was the most suitable location to establish transitional housing – there was a need for a presence by this Service in North Mayo. Also, there were links with a community development project in Ballina which strongly supported the idea of transitional housing. A local working group was set up comprising of the manager of this Service, local community interests and representatives of relevant statutory bodies. The result of long and complex negotiations has been that Mayo Co. Council bought and refurbished four houses in Ballina and transferred them to Sonas ownership. Mayo Women’s Support Services manage the units and a part-time worker has been employed to provide support for the women who are living in them. An important support for the whole process has been the formative evaluation which has been in place since the beginning of the partnership.
Transitional supported housing, as the name suggests, incorporates a ‘move-on’ factor, i.e. women are supported for a period of one to two years after which they move into permanent housing. This entails further negotiations with the local authority and, in this Service, these are ongoing.
Resettlement
It is easy to under-estimate the numbers of women made homeless by domestic violence. Some stay with family and friends and these numbers are “hidden”. Others receive mis-information that if they leave the family home they will loose it and they remain in intolerable situations.
Resettlement is necessary in the case of:
· Women who have left the family home and do not intend going back;
· Women who leave transitional housing.
The approach taken is to assist women in getting to where they feel it is most appropriate for them to go and, also, to explore with them the supports they need and are likely to have. It may entail supporting the woman in contacts with local authorities, schools, the Community Welfare Service and other relevant agencies. Good links have been developed with social workers in Mayo County Council. Also, efforts have been made to source, and get to know, some people in the private sector who rent accommodation and to make them aware of the purpose of this Service. Some have re-negotiated finance, when necessary. The over-riding consideration in all of these contacts is the safety of women and the security of where they live
Resettlement of women from outside the county can be difficult. They may have moved around a lot and their social network and support system is gone. Staff frequently liaise with agencies in different parts of the country in an effort to provide services for women in this situation.
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