September Covid-19 Update 

Since the start of lockdown SRC has moved its support online, providing the same specialist, needs-led support to women and girls across Suffolk. As we move into the autumn, SRC will begin to slowly increase the face–to–face support available, while ensuring the safety of service users and the staff team. From September SRC aims to provide the following support within our services: 

Outreach Service – the outreach team will continue to provide online, phone and text emotional and practical support across Suffolk and will begin providing sessions from our office spaces in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich. The outreach team will also work with women within the service to find safe and accessible spaces to meet in community settings. 

Online groups – The SRC online groups will continue to grow and expand. These groups are a great way to meet other women, find some time and space to focus on you and learn new things. You can find out more about the groups here. 

Helpline – The helpline will be available every Tuesday, 7 – 9pm.  

Counselling service – Counselling provision will continue to be delivered online and by phone. From September a small number of face–to–face counselling sessions will become available at our Ipswich office. Women who have had to pause counselling due to the pandemic will be prioritised for these sessions in the first instance.  

SRC will be increasing the number of women we are able to provide counselling to over the autumn however we are aware that due to the pandemic many women have been waiting a long time to access face-to-face support. Due to the restrictions we face in providing support within our spaces there will continue to be significant waits for women who want face-to-face counselling. Most women currently on the waiting list will not be able to access face-to-face counselling until at least the New Year.  

We know that many women face barriers to accessing online counselling and so we have a range of different support we can put in place to make it easier, including: 

• One off taster sessions to try out the technology and see how online counselling works 
• Women can come into the Ipswich or Bury offices for their online counselling sessions, using a confidential space and wifi 
• An IT support session to explain how to use the online counselling rooms 

• Help to access tablets, smartphones and wifi 
• Travel, childcare and other accessibility costs 

If you have previously told us you want to wait for face-to-face counselling but now want to discuss online or phone counselling, or if you have any questions, then get in touch using the information on the Contact Us page.