Specialist support for women in
Welcome to this directory of women’s centres and specialist women’s services based and operating in Merseyside.
The National Women’s Justice Coalition believes all women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system should have access to high quality, trauma-responsive, gender-specific specialist services that are evidence-based and continuously improving. To support this, each of the organisations featured on the Women’s Services Map has been reviewed and verified by the NWJC and the services advertised in this directory are routinely checked and updated for accuracy and availability.
Women’s Centres inMerseyside
This is a list of women’s centres in Merseyside that offer a range of specialist services to address women and girl’s complex and multiple needs.
These services may include community support groups, clinics, programmes and drop-ins, self-help courses and trainings, prison-based and in-reach services, casework support and one to one personalised support and seek to address the following support needs: Accommodation, Behavioural Support, Domestic Abuse, Education, Training and Employment, Family, Parenting and Relationships, Finance, Benefit and Debt, Immigration and Asylum, Legal, Mental Health, Peer to Peer, Physical Health & Wellbeing, Sexual Violence and Exploitation and Substance Misuse
Click on the Centre name to find out more about the featured organisation and the specialist women’s services they provide.
Venus Centre
Venus’ mission is: To empower, promote and support women, young women and their children in developing their potential, recognising their choices, achieving their goals and challenging injustice.
Changing Lives Red Umbrella
Red Umbrella was initially commissioned by the Merseyside Police & Crime Commissioner in 2017 to deliver a service to any individual within the sex industry; inclusive of people in survival sex work, sexual exploitation, street sex work, indoor sex work, camming, lap dancing, porn, and escorts.
Tomorrow’s Women – Wirral Centre
Tomorrow’s Women (TW) is an award-winning trauma informed Charity based in Birkenhead, run by women for all women aged 18+ to make positive lifestyle changes. Working with female offenders, and those on the periphery, it is committed to reducing offending in adult women and young girls.
Lighthouse Centre Wirral
The Lighthouse Centre supports women, children and their dependants affected by domestic abuse. We provide independent advocacy, risk assessment and safety planning and other support services to empower women to make positive and lasting changes to their own and their dependents’ lives.Support for women in Merseyside with Accommodation challenges
These specialist accommodation services provide support to women living in temporary or insecure housing or to those experiencing homelessness including sofa surfing. Some services may also support women to secure safe, approved premises, affordable housing or accommodation.
Supported Housing (mainstay)
We are a member of a supported housing consortium for homeless adults, we provide supported short term housing to homeless individuals with housing related support. Venus are unable to accept direct referrals for this service, please contact Sefton Council for mainstay access points. Open Access
Our open access service is available between 1pm and 4pm Monday – Thursday and 12:30 – 3pm on Friday, Women can use this service to seek advice and information on many issues. If there is something we cannot help you with we will try to help you find the support you need elsewhere. Volunteering
There are a number of areas in our projects where volunteers are very important to the work that we do, whether its driving our minibus, befriending other women, counselling or helping with hub centre activities. We value the time and effort that volunteers provide.Support for women in Merseyside with Sexual Violence and Exploitation challenges
Women and girls who have experienced or are experiencing sexual violence and exploitation need specialist support to overcome the physical, emotional, financial and logistical impacts of abuse and rebuild their lives free from fear and intimidation. Services may include supporting survivors of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), victims of trafficking, sexual exploitation, and those involved with or exiting sex work.
ASH Project
Action on Street Health (ASH) Wirral is TW’s mobile Outreach Project offering on-street, non-judgemental advice, guidance and assistance to street sex workers. The project works to ensure our most vulnerable people are protected and are not further victimised or exploited because of their status as a sex worker. Changing Lives Red Umbrella
The Red Umbrella project supports people involved in sex work, selling sex and/or experiencing sexual exploitation to combat instances of violence and crimes against them and bring perpetrators to justice. Merseyside is the only police force in the world to treat violence against sex workers as a hate crime. Finding Me
Finding Me is a 6 week structured Domestic Abuse course that explores healthy and unhealthy characteristics, traits and behaviours within relationships as well as identifying areas of abuse. Changing Me
Changing Me is a 6 week, in-house delivered course to inform women who have perpetrator traits and behaviours to help alter their behaviour for the better, to steer them away from crime.Support for women in Merseyside with Mental Health challenges
Women and girls experiencing anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, poor mental health, at risk of self-harm or emotional crisis, and difficulties accessing appropriate mental healthcare need specialist support. This includes help to access to mental health professionals, counselling, talking therapies, services and advocacy support. These services can signpost and refer women into appropriate services, develop care plans, facilitate crisis interventions, and begin to address women’s mental health issues and challenges to achieve mental health wellness.
Red to Pink
Red to Pink is a 4 week anger management course delivered by our staff at Tomorrow’s Women. The course revolves around learning the skills to express anger appropriately. Star Centre
Provides a friendly and welcoming space where young people up to the age of 18 can access therapeutic support, information and advice on mental health issues, as well as group support and a variety of therapies. Horta Project
The Horta Project is our newly launched. volunteer-ran, Community Garden Project that is funded by the Royal Horticultural Society and Awards for All . Wellbeing and Me
Wellbeing & Me is a 4 week course for women to address their mental health, helping women to understand the effects that stress can have on us. Yoga
A 1 hour long session focussing on relaxation, and reduction of stress and anxiety through our basic Yoga class. The class introduces participants to a way of keeping fit and to keep a positive mindset. All levels welcome. Legs, Bums and Tums
A 30 minute low to medium level of fitness Legs, Bums and Tums is a low impact fitness class using body weight alone. It involves both floor and standing exercises to work the legs, bums and tums. All levels welcome. Counselling
Tomorrow’s Women offers 1:1 counselling to our women for six weeks by a counsellor from an outside agency. We have a waiting list for the counselling, encouraging the women to engage with us for a few weeks before asking to be referred onto the list. Alcohol and Me
Alcohol and Me is a 5 week alcohol awareness programme to help women who may have concerns about their drinking habits to understand their relationship with alcohol and learn how to manage their consumption. It takes women through the different types of alcohol drinking to recognise whether they have, or may be developing, an alcohol problem. Women’s Counselling Service
We offer a counselling and therapeutic service for women. Boxercise
A 30 minute low to medium level of fitness, our basic boxercise class introduces participants to the techniques of boxing even with no prior knowledge. It is a great way of getting fit, has stress and anxiety reducing properties and is a fun session. My Child and Me
My Child & Me is a unique course targeting women who are experiencing abuse from their children. Whereas most statutory resources & interventions focus on the child, this 5 week course is there to support the parents who are victim to abuse. Victim Awareness
Tomorrow’s Women’s Victim Awareness Course is a 3 week course exclusively for women in the criminal justice system who have offended. Victim Awareness takes a rehabilitative approach to proactively improve a woman’s thinking skills in relation to offending by looking at empathetic and consequential thinking.Support for women in Merseyside with Domestic Abuse challenges
Domestic violence and abuse support services help women and girls to overcome the physical, emotional, financial and logistical impacts of abuse and rebuild their lives free from fear and intimidation. For women seeking safety, fleeing from an abusive partner or relationship, or recovering as a survivor of abuse, these services can provide a framework for recovery.
My Voice
This is a new programme for children and young people who are open to children’s social care due to ongoing domestic abuse. My Voice will work with the children in group settings, 1-2-1 or sibling groups depending on the needs of each child.
#GotTheTeeShirt Coffee Morning
Our #GotTheTeeShirt Coffee Morning is a chance to speak to volunteers who have recovered from their own abusive relationships and are now ready to share their experiences, helping others to move forward. R & R
R&R is a weekly drop-in session where you can meet other women and form friendships while doing different mindful crafts each week. R&R is facilitated by one of our fantastic volunteers. It’s a chance to unwind and learn something new. But there’s no pressure to join in on the crafts if you don’t want to. All abilities are welcome.
Good Mood Mondays
Introducing Good Mood Mondays. A chance to begin your week right with a friendly chat and positive vibes with people who get it. Since our Coffee Morning has been so popular, we have decided to expand it to the start of the week, too.
Lighthouse Heroes
This is a new 5-week domestic abuse programme where children work in groups of up to 4. This small setting also provides each child with an opportunity for bespoke 1-2-1 work. Lighthouse Heroes will be held at the Lighthouse Centre for 2 hours a week during the school day.
The Lotus Programme
The Lotus Programme is a series of 2-hour sessions over 4 weeks, for women to gain an understanding of domestic abuse and how it affects them. By identifying types of domestic abuse, how they work within relationships, and where women are on their journey, we hope to support them in making safe decisions about their next steps.Support for women in Merseyside with Behavioural Support challenges
Behavioural support services inspire and build confidence, providing women with tools, guidance and encouragement to address challenges linked to social anxiety and relationship building. These services also help women and girls to develop emotional coping strategies and social behaviours in positive and empowering ways.
Better Solutions
Better Solutions is a 3-week rolling group consisting of three sessions that look into offending behaviours and how to change them. We explore support around consequences and how to think before we act, which can result in offending behaviours additionally, problem solving will be looked at in order to change any issues which are influencing them to offend. Refocus Project
Tomorrow’s Women offer Out of Court Disposals within the Centre. The Refocus Project is funded by Merseyside Police. It is for women who commit a crime that can be dealt with without going through the Court process.Support for women in Merseyside with Physical Health & Wellbeing challenges
Managing physical health and wellbeing is essential for women to be able to heal, grow and prosper. These women’s centres and specialist services aim to support women and girls to develop and keep healthy habits, improve their fitness, do exercise, practice mindfulness and self-care, eat and sleep well, participate in rewarding hobbies and activities, and value themselves fully.
Lunch Club
Friday lunch club consists of a meal and dessert for a donation of £3. Most of the food is donated but in any case where it isn’t, the cost of this helps cover any ingredients needed for that week. Lunch club runs from 12pm till 1pm. Boxercise
A 30 minute low to medium level of fitness, our basic boxercise class introduces participants to the techniques of boxing even with no prior knowledge. It is a great way of getting fit, has stress and anxiety reducing properties and is a fun session. Booking through admin can be completed via email at [email protected].Support for women in Merseyside with Immigration and Asylum challenges
Women and girls seeking asylum or in contact with the immigration system need access to specialist, culturally sensitive, language appropriate support and services. This includes women in immigration removal centres, migrant women in custody, prison and on probation, and displaced women and families resettling into communities.
UKRS and ARAP Programme
Along with our consortium of partner agencies we support Sefton Council’s resettlement programme.Support for women in Merseyside with Family, Parenting and Relationships challenges
These specialist services and programmes aim to support women to navigate and manage the challenges and demands associated with their caring and dependent relationships, parenting responsibilities and trusted interpersonal relationships with family members, partners, friends and colleagues.
Early Help
We offer support and guidance for families who are referred to this project to improve their confidence and develop skills for progressing to employment. We also offer support for families who are more at risk of experiencing youth cultures such as anti social behaviour and gang crime Step Together
This project offers support to women and young women who have had children permanently removed from their care, the project provides individual support and therapy. Healthy Happy Homes
There is no one size fits all approach to parenting, but our 5 week course Happy Healthy Homes will teach you the skills to draw upon to build your resilience as a parent/carer, but most importantly your children’s.Support for women in Merseyside with Peer to Peer challenges
Peer to peer and mentoring services can help to empower women, connect those with similar lived and learned experiences of the criminal justice system, and provide opportunities for women to find volunteer and paid work.
Support for women in Merseyside with Legal challenges
Women in contact with the criminal justice system need access to quality legal advice and support services throughout their justice journey. Services may include pro bono legal advice, support with understanding women’s rights and UK Law and guidance with accessing legal aid.
Support for women in Merseyside with Finance, Benefit and Debt challenges
Many women experience stress, anxiety and hardship linked to their finances, benefits and debt. Specialist finance, benefit and debt support services can offer financial advice, debt relief and management plans, guidance on benefit entitlements and allowances, and signposting to professional advice and support schemes aimed at relieving financial hardship.
Venus Cosy Hub
Venus’ Cosy Hub is open Thursday 4pm-7pm, offering a warm safe place where everyone (women) can pop in for a cuppa, get practical tips and advice on energy efficiency and being able to keep warm at home. Money and Me
Money management is a prevalent support area for many women often balancing a multitude of financial pressures. Money and Me is a 3 week budgeting course for any woman wanting to better manage their finances, and specifically those who may be turning to loans, are receiving Universal Credit, & often finding themselves in financial hardship. Financial Resilience
Access help & advice with debt, utility arrears, budgeting, grant applications and managing money better. We are members of the Financial Conduct Authority.Support for women in Merseyside with Substance Misuse challenges
These services support women and girls experiencing addiction or drug, alcohol or substance dependency, undergoing drug and alcohol cessation or intervention treatment, recovering from addiction, have problems with drugs, drink or unsafe substances and those who identify as recovering addicts.
Support for women in Merseyside with Education, Training and Employment challenges
For services offering women and girls support with accessing and participating in education, training or employment opportunities including paid and voluntary work when leaving prison. Services include helping those experiencing unemployment or needing to declare criminal convictions to re-enter the job market or education.