Yumba-Meta Limited’s two Women’s Shelters, Flora House and Elsie House, are safe places for women and children escaping domestic and family violence.

These facilities provide a home-like environment with access to support services, such as a child counsellor, and case managers to help women understand the court and legal system, and more. Yumba-Meta also works closely with local State Schools to return children who’ve been living with domestic or family violence to regular schooling.

Yumba-Meta staff often drop off and pick up children from school to give their mother time to attend appointments with the courthouse, the police, and any other services she may require. In January 2021, both women’s shelters launched group activities to support women and children in developing healthy routines and habits.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation provides resident children with Buddy Bags, comprising a backpack filled with essential items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, pillowcase, face washer, pyjamas, underwear and socks, a book, photo frame and a teddy bear to help them feel safe and cared for.

The Zephyr Foundation provides children with drink bottles, lunch boxes, school books, calculators, pens and other stationery items to help them feel enthusiastic about education.

Flora House has seven rooms in shared accommodation, and one self-contained three-bedroom unit available to women and children escaping domestic and family violence. Flora House’s services are in high demand and severely under-funded.

Elsie House has six rooms and opened in January 2021. It is Townsville’s only shelter specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands women and children.

Referrals can be made through

• DV Connect
  on 1800 811 811
• Women’s Centre
  on 4775 7555
• Self-Referral
  on 4723 5611