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Safe Places Emergency Accommodation program

Responsible government

  • Commonwealth

Fourth Action Plan actions

  • Improve support and service system responses
    • 20 Improve access to suitable and safe accommodation within their communities for women who have experienced domestic, family and sexual violence.

What are we doing?

The Safe Places Emergency Accommodation program will deliver new or expanded emergency and crisis accommodation facilities for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence. It is a capital works grant program funding the renovation, building, or purchase of dwellings to create safe emergency accommodation in areas where there is an unmet need for emergency or crisis accommodation.

  • The Commonwealth Government has announced successful projects against its $72.6 million Safe Places initiative in all states and territories.
  • The Government is providing grants to organisations across remote, regional and metropolitan areas.
  • The Safe Places program will provide about 780 new safe places assisting up to 6,340 women and children escaping family and domestic violence each year.

What have we achieved so far?

  • The Government consulted with the FDV and philanthropic sectors, local, state and territory governments in 2019 to inform the program design.
  • Applications closed on 14 February 2020, with some organisations granted extensions until 28 February 2020 due to the bushfires of late 2019 and early 2020.
  • The department received 131 applications, which were assessed in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines 2017 and against the Safe Places Grant Opportunity Guidelines.
  • On 28 September 2020, the Government announced the first tranche of successful organisations to be funded under the Safe Places program.
    • A further announcement of successful projects was made in May 2021 as part of the 2021-22 Budget.
  • The department is working closely with successful applicants to implement the program and have all successful safe places projects in operation by mid-2024.
  • The first Safe Places accommodation (Toora Women Inc. (ACT)) was launched on 6 August 2021 and a further two projects have begun delivering services.

What is next?

  • The department is working closely with all successful Safe Places applicants as they meet project milestones and transition to delivering services at the completion of their building works.
  • The department will continue working with state and territory governments to support successful program outcomes.
  • Funding will be provided to successful applicants from 2020-21 to 30 June 2024.
  • The first safe places became available in August 2021 and further safe places will continue to roll out until all projects are complete by 30 June 2024. The projects are expected to provide around 780 new safe places, supporting up to 6,340 women and children escaping violence each year.

For further information and updates on the Safe Places program, please go to the Department of Social Services website dss.gov.au.

What difference will we make?

The intended outcomes for the Safe Places program are:

  • To build or expand emergency accommodation facilities to provide additional safe places for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence.
  • Women and children are housed in a safe place where they are supported by specialist family and domestic violence services.

DSS will evaluate the Safe Places program to understand how well the outcomes and objectives have been achieved.

This information is current at the date of publication.

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