About the Safe as Houses Project

Our specialist residential rehabilitation centre in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire provides support for people across Scotland who want help with problematic drug and/or alcohol use within a safe and therapeutic setting.

The Safe as Houses residential opened 8 years ago and has recently developed further by adding recovery flats to support people to reintegrate back into the community. We provide accommodation for 32 service users in total; The main project consists of 4 flats which each contain 4 bedrooms, with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. In addition to this there is a communal living area, a room for group work, a counselling room and space for staff. We also have 8 recovery flats surrounding the main project which 2 service users share at the one time.

Safe as houses is a specialist residential recovery service based in Clydebank, which offer assessment support and treatment for individuals whom require help with their addiction. All staff are highly skilled and experienced at helping people affected by drug and alcohol use, their families and carers.

How are we currently funded?

Community work: SLA with West Dunbartonshire Council

Residential provision: Housing Benefit, and a Care component

Safe, therapeutic work placements: Grant aid, with match funding from our reserves

The Programme

The service users recovery journey begins in ‘Safe as Houses’, our staff support you through four treatment phases; admission, intensive, senior and recovery flat. Each phase can be adapted to suit your needs and pace. Whilst the full programme runs seven days a week, weekends are more relaxed with recreation and family visits.

Admission phase – Respite and Stability

This first phase focuses on reducing chaos, prioritising physical and mental health and stabilising the individual.

Intensive phase – Recovery through Abstinence

Secondly, we work on behavioural change, insight into self-awareness, trauma-informed interventions, self-advocacy, right living and early sustainability in preparation for reintegration into the local community.

Senior Phase – Sustainability and Reintegration

Next, residents develop confidence, skills and citizenship through educational and vocational placements at our innovative horticulture, wildlife, catering, boatbuilding and upcycling social enterprises.

We advocate purposeful and meaningful activity as a core element of ongoing sustainable recovery.

Recovery Flat – Maintaining Recovery.

When residents have achieved all requirements of the 3 phases within Safe As Houses project, we then offer individuals the opportunity to move onto a recovery flat.  Moving onto our recovery flats give service users the freedom to reintegrate into the wider community, demonstrate independent living skills, occupy their time productively with educational, voluntary and recovery orientated activities with the continuous support of SAH.

Prior to the programme end, we identify and refer residents into their local services, mutual aid meetings and recovery networks and support them in reconnecting and developing positive relationships with family, partners and friends.