Who is Liberty House for?
Liberty House is a place of physical and emotional safety for up to five young women, and their children, at any one time. You are eligible for accommodation and support at Liberty House if you:
- Are aged between 16-24
- Are either homeless or facing impending homelessness
- Have no children, are pregnant or have a baby/toddler up to 3 years old
- Have experienced or are experiencing domestic abuse in their family home or personal relationship
- Are in need of support, and willing to engage and develop skills required for both motherhood and independence
- Are able to live in shared accommodation with others in similar situations with similar support needs
To ensure that Liberty House is always a place of upmost safety and support for each young woman staying with us, you will not be eligible for accommodation and support at Liberty House if you:
- Have a criminal record
- Are experiencing complex physical or mental health needs that the project cannot cater for
- Have any substance misuse that the project cannot cater for
- Are still in an abusive relationship and are not willing for the relationship to end
- The perpetrator lives in, or has close associations within, the Canterbury area
- Have multiple children (we can only cater for 1 child per woman)
- Pose a risk to the other young women, or workers, at Liberty House
Young women can be referred into Liberty House at anytime and stay until their baby reaches 3 years of age.
Where is Liberty House?
Liberty House is in the Canterbury district, the exact location of which is confidential information to ensure the safety of the young women living and being supported there.
The house is closely located to amenities, and compromises of five, fully-furnished, spacious bedrooms with a bed, fridge, sink, armchair, cot, television and other essentials. The communal facilities of the house include a kitchen, three bathrooms, a lounge, a family/play room and a large garden to enjoy. We also have soundproof rooms available for group sessions, workshops and 1:1 sessions to ensure confidentially within a shared house.
What will I gain from Liberty House?
Liberty House is an incredibly unique supported accommodation, offering specialist, holistic support to young women aged 16-24. The team are there to support you, and your children, as you build upon your strengths to move past the impact of your experiences, and offer a space for you both to flourish. It does this through:
- Giving you a safe and secure place to live, for up to 18 months, to alleviate the immediate need of homelessness
- Empowering you to talk about any challenges and the impact of those experiences – breaking down the stigma and secrecy of domestic abuse to repair and rebuild family relationships
- Offering the context and language to your experiences of domestic abuse, through psychoeducational support around healthy relationships, trauma and emotional regulations
- Providing you with the space to improve your independent living and parenting skills
- Discussing the signs of abusive relationships, recognising red flags, beige flags and green flags in future relationships, whilst developing your confidence to leave and know where to turn for support
- Developing the ability to move and live independently by building on your own strengths
- Show you that you have a choice, and that your voice is heard.
