Our Referral Process
If you wish to refer someone to any of our services within our Women’s Support Service, to our Court Support Service, EDDACS, or to our Children and Young People’s Service, please send us a completed Referral Form.
We accept referrals for anyone who is experiencing or has experienced domestic abuse, residing in the City of Edinburgh. We access referrals from a range of voluntary or statutory organisations (Social Work, Health, Police, Education and other voluntary sector services), to ensure service users gain the survivor-sensitive support they need.
We deliver a person-centred service and so we would ask that prior to making a referral, you speak with the person being referred and obtain consent from them.
Should you wish to discuss a potential referral with us, please do not hesitate to Get in Touch. We would be happy to talk through the referral with you and answer any questions you may have.
What happens once we receive the referral?
Once referred to Edinburgh Women’s Aid, our Crisis Support team make contact to arrange a meeting to undertake an initial assessment. This can be carried out over the phone, or in person at our Edinburgh office. This process may take up to an hour to complete, and may require further follow up to manage safety and support needs of the woman and any children.
The meeting will assess risk, using a specialist Safelives DASH RIC (Risk Identification Checklist), with any immediate safety measures put in place, along with a referral to MARAC, if necessary. A safety and support plan will be created, and housing options will be explored, which may include Refuge Accommodation or support from our Housing Policy Service.
We will inform the woman of the outcome of their assessment and they will be offered support from one of our Women’s Support Services where appropriate. Referrals to other relevant external agencies that might be more suitable, or suitable in addition to EWA, may also be made.