Photo: Illustration: Lee Smith-Gibbons / The Wireless
A charity providing counselling helplines and support for families says funding cuts to social services this year will be particularly felt over Christmas, when there is a uptick in needs.
Presbyterian Support Northern, which runs the family violence service provider Shine, said it was expecting a 30 percent surge in women seeking refuge over the holiday season.
Its general manager of social services Grenville Hendricks said the number of people seeking help from its mental health helpline, Lifeline, was also expected to increase by 10 to 20 percent over Christmas.
Hendricks said the holiday period could be a stressful time, particularly this year when many were facing financial pressure and unemployment.
He said the charity's social services arm, which mostly relied on government funding, had its funding cut by $1.5 million this year - with the biggest cuts coming from Oranga Tamariki.
That meant 800 fewer whānau would be served, he said.
Hendricks said Lifeline - which did not receive government funding - would continue to provide a 24/7 service over Christmas, however he was wary that the sector is stretched as many charities like theirs are struggling.
"A lot of services have had cuts, or reductions in the services they can afford... so people would be experiencing those services, either they're not available or they're in a reduced capacity, and so people would be feeling more worried, more anxious, more concerned about how they can provide for themselves and their children, and that's a very real issue around Christmas time."
In August, Oranga Tamariki announced funding cuts to service providers supporting vulnerable children, youth and families.
The contracts of 190 providers were set to be discontinued and more than 142 providers would have their funding reduced.
