Birmingham And Solihull Women'S Aid
Charity 1073926
Overview
Summary
Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid appears to be a specialist domestic-abuse organisation whose role extends beyond crisis accommodation. Its model combines immediate safety, practical and emotional support, family-focused work, advocacy within the justice system, and efforts to influence wider practice. It appears to operate as both a frontline service and a bridge between women and children experiencing abuse and the statutory and voluntary systems they may need to navigate.
Operational geography
Coverage: Citywide
Operational areas:
- City Centre
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
City Centre
Confidence: high
Direct current evidence identifies the Theresa Stewart Centre as a Birmingham city-centre, face-to-face drop-in service.
- Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid, Theresa Stewart Centre webpage
The organisation states that the Theresa Stewart Centre is 'conveniently located in Birmingham city centre' and offers free confidential in-person support. - Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid, I need help webpage
The organisation directs women to its Theresa Stewart Hub in Birmingham city centre for face-to-face support and lists opening hours.
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence supports a citywide Birmingham service remit: BSWA states that it supports women and children in Birmingham and Solihull, delivers community outreach, operates a helpline and webchat, and has six refuges across the two local-authority areas. The conclusion that its Birmingham operational identity is citywide is therefore a reasonable interpretation of its service model and stated coverage, rather than evidence that every Birmingham ward hosts a service site.
- The locations of the six refuges are appropriately not published. Their existence materially extends operational reach across Birmingham and Solihull, but there is no safe basis for assigning them to Birmingham wards or places.
- BSWA describes NHS-based IDVA provision at the Umbrella Clinic, University Hospitals Birmingham trust hospitals, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust, alongside MARAC work with police, social care, health and other agencies. These partnerships extend access to support across Birmingham, but the available evidence does not identify a complete current list of sites or wards.
- Ryland House is the charity's published contact and registered address, but the available evidence does not establish whether it is a public-facing delivery location; it has not been treated as a separate operational site.
Additional evidence needed
- A current BSWA service map or annual/impact report identifying the Birmingham localities served by community outreach, family support, IDVA and health-based services, without disclosing refuge addresses.
- Confirmation from BSWA of which Birmingham health, court, community or partner venues currently host its workers and whether any are permanent delivery bases.
- Aggregated, safeguarding-safe area-level service-use data to test whether delivery is evenly citywide or concentrated in particular parts of Birmingham.
Areas of work
- Accommodation/housing
- Education/training
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Defined Groups
How they help
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A safety-to-systems support model
The available evidence suggests the organisation is designed to support people across several stages of domestic-abuse response: immediate safety, ongoing specialist support, and access to justice. This may reduce the risk that women must navigate disconnected services at a time of heightened vulnerability.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the organisation from a refuge provider alone. Its potential civic value lies partly in connecting crisis response with longer-term agency and institutional access.
Show evidence
“BSWAID offers safe temporary accommodation, accessible support services and support for women accessing the justice system.”
Source:Charity Commission“Specially trained female workers provide emotional and practical support to women and children affected by domestic violence and abuse.”
Source:Organisation
Children appear central, not incidental
Although the organisation’s public-facing identity centres women, the evidence indicates that children and young people are treated as direct beneficiaries of domestic abuse, rather than solely as dependants of adult service users.
Why it matters
This suggests a family-informed approach and raises useful questions about how adult safety work and children’s support are coordinated.
Show evidence
“The charity’s objects are to relieve distress and suffering faced by women, children and young people who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic violence and abuse.”
Source:Charity Commission“The organisation supports women and children affected by domestic violence and abuse.”
Source:Organisation
It combines direct help with field-building
The organisation appears to see domestic abuse not only as an individual crisis but also as a practice and policy issue. Its stated work to raise awareness and promote policy and best practice may indicate an ambition to improve the wider local response, alongside delivering services.
Why it matters
This points to influence relationships with statutory, voluntary and other organisations as an important part of its role, potentially extending its impact beyond people who directly use its services.
Show evidence
“The charity raises awareness, promotes action against domestic violence, and promotes policy and best practice responding to women and children’s needs.”
Source:Charity Commission“Relief is to be provided in association with statutory, voluntary and other organisations.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which statutory, voluntary or community organisations are active partners in delivery or referral pathways.
- How support differs across refuge, centre-based, telephone, text and webchat access routes.
- Whether particular communities face barriers to accessing support or are underserved.
Remaining uncertainties
- Service data showing referral sources, outcomes, waiting times and support pathways for women, children and young people.
- Details of partnerships, commissioned services, geographic coverage and examples of policy or practice influence.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
BSWAID is working with women and children affected by domestic violence by:offering safe temporary accommodation, appropriate and accessible support services including supporting women in accessing justice system. The charity raises awareness and promotes action against Domestic violence and promotes policy and best practice that responds to women and children's needs.
Charity objects
THE OBJECTS OF THE COMPANY SHALL BE TO RELIEVE THE DISTRESS AND SUFFERING FACED BY WOMEN, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED, OR ARE EXPERIENCING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE. IN ASSOCIATION WITH STATUTORY, VOLUNTARY AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS, THIS RELIEF SHALL BE PROVIDED IN ANY MANNER WHICH NOW IS OR HEREAFTER MAY BE DEEMED BY LAW TO BE CHARITABLE.