Family Help Darlington CIO

Family Help Darlington CIO is an independent charity, which is home to Darlington’s only women’s refuge – one of the smallest and longest-standing refuges in the UK. Established in 1976, Family Help Darlington CIO (registered charity in England and Wales No. 1150798) provides specialist domestic abuse support and safe temporary accommodation for women and women with children fleeing domestic abuse.Every year, Family Help accommodates around 60 women and 100 children suffering domestic abuse, providing them with a safe, welcoming home and a supportive team who encourage progress towards positive and safe outcomes free from domestic abuse. We also provide a confidential helpline (Tel: 01325 364486) for any person affected by domestic abuse, either directly or indirectly. Family Help offer survivors the space, time and resources to make informed life choices and its central purpose is to enable survivors to change their own lives and move towards more positive and safer outcomes. The refuge is a place where women and their children can be free from violence and domestic abuse. Family Help’s person-centred approach is shaped by the service user, which promotes social inclusion and allows them to build upon their strengths and find their own solutions. The skills that service users gain help them to remove themselves from unhealthy relationships and grow in awareness, equipping them to improve not just their own life but the lives of those around them. Family Help is a fantastic charity that continues to stand as a guardian and a beacon for a better future for all those affected by domestic abuse.