“Samaritans is committed to ensuring women and children receive quality care and continue to be fully supported through our services and the Taree Women’s Refuge,” Samaritans executive manager of Service Design and Delivery, Glenda Buckley has said.
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She is responding to a story published in the Manning River Times about a campaign to return a community-based secular specialist domestic violence refuge to the Manning.
“Samaritans provides a holistic approach to support women and children and all of their needs associated with domestic violence, including crisis intervention assessment,” said Ms Buckley.
“Samaritans has a 24-hour response service and through this assists people in a variety of ways depending on what their individual situation is. We also have a number of ways to provide immediate assistance in the local area including brokerage opportunities and temporary accommodation when required.”
“Depending on needs, the refuge service is able to provide anything from food, clothes, toiletries, transport, medical treatment, accommodation and emotional support for women and children.
“Every person we support has individual needs; we do not have a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
“Our staff members are skilled at assessing individual needs and ensuring that our service response is tailored to the needs of those seeking support,” she said.
“Samaritans has been in close communication with a number of stakeholders in the community for a number of years to assist in answering questions about the operation of Taree Refuge and we welcome community feedback and involvement to ensure that the refuge continues to provide safe and secure accommodation for those fleeing domestic violence.
“Our first priority is, and will continue to be, the safety and well being of all of the people we support,” she said.
In its statement to the Times, the Samaritans Foundation said it was established in 1984 and has operated since this time providing support to vulnerable people in the community in a wide variety of specialised services.
Samaritans has been in the privileged position to work with people who have multiple and complex care needs for over 30 years.
Samaritans has a rigorous system of checks and balances in place to ensure the safety, health and happiness of all people in its care.
Samaritans has assisted women and children escaping domestic violence with the operation of a specialist women and children’s refuge in Taree since 2014.
Samaritans began operating the refuge at this time as part of the government reforms in the Specialist Homelessness Services sector within the Going Home, Staying Home program.