Speaking at the recent launch of BCS Chisholm Care, the Federal Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women Ms Tanya Plibersek said she was greatly encouraged by the work of BCS in creatively responding to domestic violence in the community.
BCS Chisholm Care [as featured in the cover story of our Winter 08 Trust] is an innovative accommodation and care service dedicated to supporting women and children escaping domestic violence.
As well as the expansion of supported accommodation for women and children, BCS LifeCare is also looking to develop other related services aimed at stamping out domestic violence.
These initiatives include the development of a resource kit, including a wallet card that defines domestic violence and includes phone numbers for support and information services. The card will be supported by the new BCS website, including online fact sheets and a brochure located at
www.bcs.org.au/domesticviolence.
Speaking at the launch, Ms Plibersek said the Federal Government was committed to addressing the need for more supported accommodation for people escaping domestic violence and welcomed the investment BCS has made in boosting available accommodation in Sydney’s south west.
In late 2007, BCS opened a new crisis accommodation centre in the Macarthur region, comprising five modern two-bedroom villas and townhouses, each which provide crisis care for up to three months for women and their children.
BCS has now opened the doors on a second unit complex in the same area, which will provide medium-term accommodation for up to 18 months for families leaving the crisis units.
During the recent launch, BCS Chisholm Care Manager Maria Merle described the critical support that service is providing clients:
“We are not only providing crisis and medium term accommodation and support to families. I think we are also saving lives. I don’t mean to be melodramatic but I am sure if it weren’t for programs like ours some of the families we have supported would not still be here today. If we can help support one family and prevent them from being another homicide statistic then it makes all the hard work we do worthwhile,” she said.
Maria concluded her speech with a challenge to the audience.
“May we all continue to give women and children a voice and a sense of safety, hope, independence and freedom so they can move forward in their lives, free of violence.”
Joining Ms Plibersek as official guests at the BCS Chisholm Care launch were the Member for Werriwa Mr Chris Hayes MP and the then Mayor of Campbelltown Cr Aaron Rule.
Cr Rule, quoting from the Book of James in the New Testament, congratulated BCS for its willingness to turn faith into action and in so doing make a real difference in the lives of needy people in the community.
Over the last year, BCS Chisholm Care has supported 16 women and 33 children. This number will now increase with the addition of the medium term accommodation for families leaving the crisis units.
During the year, BCS LifeCare began planning for an extension of Chisholm Care services in other parts of NSW, and the service was further supported through the proceeds of the mid-year direct mail fundraising appeal, raising almost $95,000 from BCS’ generous supporters.