"THIS is what I dreamed of," says Jane, referring to the three bedroom house on Dublin's northside which is now her home. "For the first time in my life, I have security. Nobody can ask me to leave, nobody can pull the plug on me."

Jane's house is one of 25 in a small estate built by the Sonas Housing Association. What makes it unique is that all the families who live here left their previous homes because of violence. The development was the brainchild of Dublin Women's Aid, the voluntary group which attempts to alleviate the plight of women who are subjected to physical, mental, economic and/or sexual abuse by the men with whom they live.

There is little research in Ireland into the links between homelessness and domestic violence. One study in 1992 found that in a three week period, 55 women with 112 children sought refuge from violent situations. They didn't get it because all 20 refuge spaces in the city were taken. But those lucky enough to get such a place have by no means solved their problems. Fleeing your home and taking your children to a refuge is an emergency response to a crisis situation. Having taken that initial, daunting step, where do you go next?

"The decision to establish a Housing Association was triggered by the experience of women in crisis refuge," says Muireann Morris, chairwoman of Sonas Housing. "The reality for many is a long, long wait for a house, or being housed in a marginalised area where she and her children have no connections and no support." The danger is that the daily grind will drive her back into the violent situation.

"Sonas offers a safe place to live, decent accommodation and the help and support women need to get back on their feet after leaving a life of violence and abuse," says Morris.

One of the key players in providing such assistance is support worker Myra O'Reilly, who is available on site to handle queries, as well as offering emotional support and encouragement. "Part of the abuse might have been denying them access to money, for example," says Myra. "We can offer them the help they need to regain such a facility, and any other life skills which they need to begin again."

Helping these women is also helping their children. "Here in Sonas, for the first time a mother can begin to develop a different relationship with her children, one that is not just premised on protecting them from violence," says Muireann Morris. "Many of these children are experiencing a normal, relaxed, family home environment for the first time."

Taking a house in Sonas means adhering to a number of conditions in addition to the usual Dublin Corporation rules of occupancy. Ex partners - almost all of whom still reside in the old family home - may see their children outside the estate, but are not allowed on site. And should the woman become involved in a new relationship, she must move on.

"It's not that we deem a woman in that situation to no longer be in need of support," says Muireann Morris, "but there is always a number of women in dire straits in a refuge. So we have a hierarchy of needs.

Although the centre is not yet open a year, Women's Aid estimates that most women will spend two to three years there, with some remaining longer, others happy to leave earlier. "It is decided on an individual needs basis," says Morris. "A woman is welcome to stay here as long as she needs to."

When the estate was being built, there was a certain amount of opposition from local people. "There were also those who were positive about the initiative says Mario Marchetti, who has run a community youth project in the area for many years, "but as usual the negative people were more vocal." The problem has been addressed by trying to integrate Sonas as much as possible into the wider community. The complex includes commercial space - a large hall and some smaller rooms - which have been used by local community groups for a variety of functions.

The local youth project is now based in Sonas. "We take a two pronged approach," says Marchetti. "On the one hand we want the kids living here to recognise that this is where they are from, this is home now. We see them mixing together and can assess them from a youth work needs perspective, just like we would any other kid in the area. Secondly, we want to integrate the development into the wider community. Last summer, for example, the local summer project was held here.

State financial support, as always with voluntary initiatives, is an ongoing problem. The complex was developed under the government Plan For Social Housing, but a lack of understanding about the needs of Sonas tenants is hampering their work, says Muireann Morris. One problem is that the concept of housing associations is relatively new in Ireland.

"The Department of Education and the Department of Health are at an early stage in their understanding of how such a scheme works and of the special needs of our tenants," says Morris. "We want to go beyond the bricks and mortar approach and provide a range of services.

Myra O'Reilly gives the example of what happens when a woman is ready to move from Sonas. "One woman's husband has been sent to prison for a long time, so she no longer needs safe housing and because of our rules on sole tenancy, she wants to move on. But the corporation is saying to her: `You have a grand house there, what's your problem?'. The problem is she can't get onto the next stage of her life, and a woman who badly needs our services is being denied them."

Nonetheless, there are plans to grow. "This development," says Muireann Morris, "is just the first of many. We've started on a small complex in Clondalkin and ultimately hope to co operate with refuges around the country and go nationwide."

Jane says that shelter is a basic human need. "When I didn't have it I was so low, so depressed. I never felt I was able to give my children the kind of upbringing they deserved until I lived here. They have settled very well, there are lots of young children lord them to play with. Before I came here I thought a house would be the end of my problems, that I would be able to cope with anything if I only had my own place. Now I realise it's just the first step and I've started thinking about my future.

Another resident, Nuala, says: "I left my marriage after 23 years of mental and emotional abuse, took my youngest child - the others are much older - and went to a refuge. While there I heard about Sonas. I'm thrilled to have my own place that's safe. For the first time in my life I feel secure. When I left my marriage I was a person with absolutely no confidence. I wasn't capable of having a conversation. But here, with the support I get from Myra and everybody else, I've thrived. I'm hoping to start a course in[ UCD later on this year and get a job. I have support but I still have independence - it's the best of both worlds.