Conservative individual provides retreat for those starting again (6,3)
I believe the answer is:
square one
'retreat for those starting again' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'conservative individual' is the wordplay.
'conservative' becomes 'square' (I've seen this before).
'individual' becomes 'one' (an individual is one person).
'square'+'one'='SQUARE ONE'
'provides' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for square one that I've seen before include "back here after failure" , "Back to . . . . . . . . . - at starting point with no progress made" .)