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REFUGES FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCOTLAND

Appendix D: Topic Guide for Interviews with Workers

1. Running the Refuge

• How many refuge spaces are provided here? How many women and children are staying here at the moment? Can you describe the private and shared/communal accommodation provided (probe - room, en-suite, self-contained flat; dispersed or shared/clustered) What is the maximum number of people each space can accommodate?
• How is the refuge funded? How secure/adequate is the funding?
• Is the refuge location kept secret? How?
• How many employees/volunteers are there - full or part-time? What duties do they have? How are they managed? How are decisions about the running of the refuge made?
• What is the relationship with SWA/Scottish Executive/LAs/funders?
• What proportion of families seeking accommodation are you able to accept? (probe -trends) What is your usual occupancy rate? Are there any particular groups whom you are not able to accommodate/are less likely to accommodate? What happens to those you are not able to accommodate?
• How has the service changed/developed since you started? For better or worse?
• Can you tell me about any pending refuge provision in your area/any proposed developments?

2. Moving In

• Why do women come to live in refuges when they leave abusive relationships? Is it because of a lack of other accommodation options? Or is there something specific within refuges that they are seeking (probe - emergency provision, company, mutual aid, staff support, temporary breathing space)
• How do women generally find out about/get referred to the refuge? Do they generally get into their 'first choice'? Do they know about the range of refuges? On what basis do they generally 'choose' which refuge to approach?
• Can you describe the typical 'admission' process from when a woman first gets in touch. How quickly do they move in? How do they get here? Do they bring their own things?
• Why do you think some abused women do not use refuges? Could/should anything be done to encourage them to use refuges?
• Could anything more be done to ease women's access to refuges? Could anything be done to ease the moving in process for women and children?
• Are there particular groups for whom access to refuges is especially difficult? (probe rural, disabled, minority ethnic, drug/alcohol, boys over 16)? What are the nature of the problems they face in accessing/living in refuges? Could/should anything be done to help
• What, in your experience, do women expect refuges to be like before they move in? Are they often surprised/disappointed/pleased? What about children - what do they expect? What information are women and children generally given about refuges before they move in? Is it enough/appropriate?

3. Experiences

• How do you think women generally feel about living in refuges/this particular refuge? Do you think they are usually glad they came here, or do they often wish they had been able to resolve their problems in another way?
• What are the most and least satisfactory aspects of the accommodation provided in this refuge in your view? What do the women and children say?
• Do you think it is helpful for the women and children to have other families around (shared or clustered) or would most prefer/ be better off in a place of their own (dispersed)?
• Can you tell me more about the family rooms/flats in this refuge - in your view are they large/private/quiet/nice/clean/safe enough? What do the women/children say? Do they have a window? A lockable door? Can they alter heating/lighting/ventilation? Is there space for the women and children's own things? Is there anything in particular that should be changed? What would be your priority?
• How do women and their children feel about sharing a room do you think (prompt - safety/security, sleeping, changing, space to be alone)
• How do they generally feel about sharing areas with other families? (probe- bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, children's rooms). What are the shared areas like? Are they large/nice/clean/safe/quiet enough? Is there anything in particular that should be changed? What would be your priority?
• Is there a communal area (even if no shared facilities)? How/how often is it used? Do you think it is important to have a communal area? Do you think it is important to the women and children?
• How is cooking/eating organised? (prompt- staff involved, communal or individual) Is it important to organise it that way?
• How much contact do women and children have with workers? Is that enough/too much for most of them? What sort of help/support do they receive? (probe - practical, legal, financial, emotional, material, with children) Do they have a named worker? In your experience does this match what most women expect/need/want? Is there any additional/different support that would be useful? Do women have choice/control over the support they are given?
• How much contact do the women have with each other? How do they get on? Do they help each other/give each other support? Do many of them seek this mutual support when they move in/come to appreciate it? Are there sometimes tensions? What do these tend to be about? Do workers try to ease them/what would help ease them?
• Are refuges good/bad places for children to live in? What do you think the best/worst things are for them? What support/facilities are there for them? Is it appropriate/enough? (probe - children's rooms, toys, outside play areas, availability/quality of children's workers) Could any more be done to help them? Do the children get on together? Do they help/support each other? Are there problems? Is it different for older/younger, boys/girls?
• Do women get a say in how the refuge is run? (prompt - role in developing general rules and policies; also day-to-day issues of cooking, cleaning etc.) What about children - do they get a say, what it? Could the involvement of women and children be improved? How?

4. Impact on Other Aspects of Life

• Is there anything about staying in refuges in general, or this refuge in particular, that affects women's health, employment/education, family or friendship networks. (prompt on location/accommodation type/services available)
• Is there anything about staying in refuges in general, or this refuge in particular, that affects children's education, friendship networks, family relationships, health/ well-being (prompt on location/accommodation type/services available)

5. Moving On

Can families stay here as long as they like/need, or are they expected/encouraged to move on? How long do they stay on average? Where do most move onto (probe - tenure, partner, friends/family, shared/self contained, cluster/dispersed, furnished/unfurnished, location etc.) Are they helped to organise that? What type of help/is it enough?

Do they generally receive any continuing contact/help from WA workers after they move out? What type/how often/how long for?

What about other residents - do women/children often keep in touch when they move on?

6. Priorities

• What is the most important thing that makes a refuge a good/bad place to stay? What should the priority be in improving them? (probe - accommodation type and standards, support from staff, facilities for children)
• Should the Government spend money on new refuges or on a different form of provision? What about other approaches - exclude abusers, supporting women who return to abuser, local auth/HA temp or permanent accom?
• What type of refuges should they fund? (probe - shared house (with own bedroom or ensuite; sharing kitchen/livingroom/bathroom; communal area even if no shared facilities); own flat in WA close; own (dispersed) flat or house) What should the top priority be?

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