Residential Services

Northumberland Services for Women has an 8 bedroom, 17 bed house, which includes a wheel-chair accessible barrier-free suite. A crisis line, answered 24 hours a day, provides immediate response to women.

Women’s Shelter Program
The Women’s Shelter Program provides a variety of services including:

A safe and secure temporary place to live
Supportive, short-term, individual counselling available 24 hours a day
Immediate response to women and their children who are in need of crisis and supportive short term counselling
Educational information about woman abuse through group sessions, printed material and visual aids (covering topics such as effects of family violence, assertiveness training, stress management, relaxation training and self-esteem)
Where appropriate, referrals to outside community agencies for treatment/assistance (medical referrals, addiction counselling, psycho-therapy, self-help groups such as AA, NA, Al-Anon)
Developing safety plans to ensure resident safety outside the shelter and when she leaves to set up her own home
Facilitating meetings between residents and representatives from Social Services so that financial provisions can be made
Referring residents to housing services available in the community
2 hour free legal advice certificates
Accompaniment and advocacy for women to Hospitals, Lawyers, Police and Court
Emergency transportation is provided in situations where there are no other feasible options, to bring women and their children from their places of residence to NSW in order to access our services.
Emergency relocation services are also available for women and their children fleeing abusive situations (i.e. to a different shelter, another province, etc.)

Children’s Shelter Program
The Child and Youth Worker provide support to children entering a new environment at the Shelter and to their mothers. She works with women to help them recognize the effects that violence in the home has on their children. She provides resident children with organized play activities to encourage imagination and creativity and to enhance a child's sense of "childhood".

The Children’s Shelter Program includes:

Support for Moms regarding parenting issues
Individual counselling regarding child/youth issues related to the effects of witnessing/experiencing abuse
Occasional parent relief/childcare (childcare is offered for appointments, if it can be arranged)
Referrals to other community agencies
Support and Advocacy for Moms and Children when working with other agencies.

The Crisis Line
A number of telephone lines are operated by the Shelter. Crisis support is available on the Crisis Line 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

To speak to a Counsellor at the shelter call:
local calls
905-372-0746

or toll free within Northumberland County
1-800-263-3757

Community Services
The Resource Centre (RC)
The Women’s Resource Centre is open from Monday to Friday.
Call for current hours. At the WRC we provide the following support services to women and children visiting the Women's Resource Centre:

Lending Library
Information and Referral Service
Confidential Meeting Space
Two Hour Free Legal Advice Forms
Milk for Mom's coupons

To contact the Women’s Resource Centre call:
905-372-1545 ext. 228

Community Counselling Program
The Community Counselling Program offers a variety of services for women and children who have experienced family violence. For further information about abuse in intimate relationships, please see the Wheel of Power and Control found in the News Link on this site. There are satellite offices established in Campbellford, Colborne, Brighton and Port Hope and in other areas of the County to assist women in accessing individual and group counselling. Public education on issues of family violence is also available through Community Services. Support, advocacy & referral services for women and their children who have witnessed/experienced violence are also offered.

To book an appointment or to speak with a Counsellor call:
905-372-1545 ext. 228

Women’s Individual Counselling
Individual counselling services are available for women who are survivors of any form of abuse in intimate relationships. For further information about abuse in intimate relationships, please see the Wheel of Power and Control found in the News Link on this site.

Women’s Group Counselling
Group counselling is available for women in the community, including past shelter residents, who have experienced abuse in intimate relationships. Three phases of group are offered at a variety of times and locations.

Transitional and Housing Support Program
This program offers transitional support to Shelter and Community Services clients such as: connecting them with necessary community supports (i.e. housing, counselling, parenting support, educational upgrading, legal aid, etc.)

Professional casework, counselling, group counselling, advocacy, referral services and accompaniment to abused women and their children in a confidential manner
Public education/advocacy with respect to anti-violence issues
Assistance with obtaining a subsidized rental unit
Support in maintaining housing

To contact the Transitional & Housing Support Counsellor call:
905-372-6173 ext 243 or 905-376-0076

Cornerstone
Cornerstone is our second stage housing program. We have 14 individual apartments at Cornerstone: bachelors, one bedrooms, and two bedrooms. Women live there for one year or longer depending on individual needs. Service plans are developed between the Transitonal and Housing Support Counsellor and each individual woman . To find out more about this program please call 905-372-6173 ext 243 or 905-376-0076.

Children’s Counselling Program
Our Child and Youth Counsellor offers individual counselling for children living in the community who are experiencing difficulty as a result of witnessing family violence.

If you are interested in Children’s Counselling:
Contact Kym at 905-372-6173 ext 233

Child Witness Program
Northumberland Services for Women offers a 12 week Child Witness Program for mothers and their children (aged 5 to 16) who have been witness to, or have experienced, domestic abuse.

The Child Witness Group covers a different topic each week, including Defining Abuse, Violence in Families, Feelings, Anger, Self- Esteem, Conflict Resolution, Assertiveness, Communication, Healthy Relationships, Safety Planning and Responsibility for Violence. The goal of the Child Witness Group is to provide early intervention for children who have witnessed abuse, provide a safe place for children/youth to discuss the violence they have experienced, and to support children/youth so that they understand that domestic abuse is not their fault or their responsibility.

If you are interested in attending the Child Witness Program:
Contact Kym at 905-372-6173 ext 233
or
If you have already connected with a Community Counsellor, ask her about the Child Witness Program.

Referrals are accepted throughout the year.