Cuts to charity funding are particularly felt over the Christmas period

SATURDAY MORNING

A charity providing helplines and support for families has said cuts to social services this year will be particularly felt at Christmas, when need will increase.

Presbyterian Support Northern, which runs Lifeline and Shine (a helpline for victims of domestic violence), said it expected a 30 percent increase in the number of women seeking refuge over the holiday period. .

Its general manager of social services, Grenville Hendricks, said the number of people seeking help from Lifeline was also expected to increase by 10 to 20 per cent over Christmas.

Hendricks said the holiday season can be a stressful time, especially this year when many are facing financial pressures and unemployment.

He said the association’s social services arm, which relies mainly on government funding, had its funding cut by $1.5 million this year – with the biggest cuts coming from Oranga Tamariki.

This means 800 fewer whānau will be served, he said.

Hendricks said Lifeline would continue to provide a 24/7 service over Christmas, but he was wary that the sector would be strained as many charities like theirs are struggling.

“A lot of services have had cuts, or reductions in services that they could afford… so people would benefit from those services, either they’re not available or their capacity is reduced, and so people would feel more worried, more anxious, more concerned about how they can support themselves and their children, and that’s a very real problem as Christmas approaches.”

In August, Oranga Tamariki announced funding cuts to service providers supporting vulnerable children, young people and families.

The contracts of 190 providers were to be terminated and more than 142 providers would have their funding reduced.