Home substitute services (SSL)for women experiencing violence (Catalonia)

The Home Substitute Services (SSL) are “a temporary service that acts as a substitute for the home and has the support of specialised professionals to facilitate the full social and labour inclusion of women experiencing violence.” (Art. 59.1 of Law 5/2008, of 24 April, on women’s right to eradicate gender violence) and come under the Department of Equality and Feminisms of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Fundación Salud y Comunidad (FSC) manages three residential resources offering a substitute home, each with capacity for four women and their children, in the counties of Noguera Pallaresa, Alt Penedès and Maresme.

The objectives of the SSL are:

• To offer support and accompaniment to women and their children during their recovery processes.
• To facilitate the full social and labour inclusion of the women housed who have experienced gender violence.

The main functions carried out in the service are: reception, coexistence, accommodation, board, accompaniment, rest and leisure, promotion of social and labour inclusion, employment promotion, support for children and adolescents, case assessment and coordination with community resources. Care for the women and their children is understood at all times as an exercise in understanding and flexibility towards each individual situation.