Useful Links

Below is an alphabetical list of website links (and phone numbers in some cases) that we think may be of use and/or interest to children, young people and/or parents/caregivers:

0800-NO-BULLY - This is a 24-hour information line giving helpful advice about taking action to stop bullying. Ph: 0800 NO BULLY/ 0800 66 28 55

Barnardos - Barnardos works within the community to provide a range of care, education and support services for children and their families.

Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand - Worried about how alcohol is affecting you, someone you know or love? Then the Alcohol Advisory Council may be able to help. Its services include the Alcohol and Drug Helpline Ph: 0800 787 797.

Child, Youth and Family Department - Child, Youth and Family (a service of the Ministry of Social Development) is part of a network of agencies aiming to build an environment where child abuse is not tolerated. Their freephone number is 0508 326 459.

Children's Commissioner - The Children's Commissioner speaks out on behalf of all children to ensure their rights are respected and upheld. The office is an independent authority and promotes children's and young people's wellbeing through advocacy, consultation, monitoring, research and investigation.

Expect Respect - A website aimed at providing young women with relationship information (funded by the North Shore Women's Refuge and The New Zealand Lotteries Board Youth Grant).

Family and Community Services - Family and Community Services (a service of the Ministry of Social Development) works with other government and non-government agencies, and communities to give families access to information and coordinated social services. Via the organisation's website you can access:
- a directorywhere you will find contact details for a variety of services available to families
- FamilyWeb: a selection of great websites for New Zealand families
- a selection of SKIP (Strategies with Kids, Information for Parents) pamphlets developed for parents of under fives.

Families Commission - The Families Commission is an independent organisation set up by law to advocate for New Zealand families. The Families Commission gives New Zealand families a voice—promoting their interests to government and community.

Family Court of New Zealand - The Family Court is a division of the District Court. It was established under the Family Courts Act 1980 as a place where New Zealanders could get help with family problems.

Gambling Helpline - The Gambling Helpline is the national freephone for ongoing motivational support, referral and information service for gambling problems. Ph: 0800 654-655.

Healthline - Healthline is a free 24-hour telephone health advice service funded by the Ministry of Health. It is a service available for all New Zealanders, from newborn to older people. Ph: 0800 611 116.

Kidsline - Kidsline is New Zealands only 24 hour help line for New Zealand children (Phone 0800 KIDSLINE / 0800 543 754). Children can ring any hour of the day or night on the 0800 number to talk to a trained counsellor about anything that might be worrying them. Or on weekdays from 4-6pm children can talk to a Kidsline Buddy. Kidsline Buddies are specially trained Year 12 and 13 students, they're a bit older than you so they speak the same language and still remember what its like to go through the stuff youre going through.

Legal Services Agency - This is a Government agency that helps people access justice through legal services, including legal aid. Their websites include information on accessing legal aid and also contact informaiton for Community Law Centres around New Zealand that provide services for people with unmet legal needs and who cannot afford legal services.

Lifeline - Lifeline is a voluntary welfare agency offering free, professional and confidential counselling, support and information services 24 hours a day. Ph: (09) 522 2999 (within Auckland) or 0800 543 354 (outside Auckland)

LivingWorks - LivingWorks provides learning programs that help caregivers play a role in preventing suicide.

Mensline - Mensline, an integrated part of Lifeline, offers free, confidential counselling and support man-to-man.Ph:(09) 522-2500 (within Auckland) or 0800 MENSLINE/0800 63675463(outside Auckland) 5.30pm-11.30 pm.

Parents as First Teachers - The Parents as First Teachers (PAFT) programme in New Zealand is a parent education and support programme that helps parents understand how their infant develops and learns and how best they can help their child reach his or her full potential.

Parents Helpline - Parents Helpline is Barnardos' telephone counselling service for parents concerned about child abuse or having parenting problems. It operates 9am - 5pm. The free number in the Auckland region is 0800 4 PARENT (0800 4 727 368). People outside Auckland can call the Parents Helpline on (09) 625 0562. (If the cost of a toll call is an issue, Barnardos will ring you back.)

Parents Inc (formerly Parenting with Confidence) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to making life better for parents and their kids.

Plunket - Plunket is a leading provider of well child and family health services in New Zealand. Its services include PlunketLine - a free national telephone service staffed by specially trained Plunket nurses. They respond to caregivers' concerns on 0-5yrs child health and parenting. The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on0800 933 922.

Preventing Violence in the Home - Preventing Violence provides an extensive range of services, including a national Family Violence Helpline; 24 hour crisis and advocacy for adult and child victims of family violence; a stopping violence programme for abusive people; a Child Crisis Team intervention service for children who have witnessed family violence; coordination of SAFTINET, an interagency network; and also many different training programmes. If you need urgent help phone 0508 DVHELP (0508 384 357) OR if you are in the Auckland region you can call the Helpline between 7:30am - midnight on (09) 303-3939.

Quit Group - If you are thinking about quitting, are working to become a non-smoker, or you have relapsed - you will find support and information on the Quit Group website or viaQuitline(0800 778 778). The Quitline offers free telephone support, resources and low cost nicotine patches or gum to New Zealand residents.

Rape Prevention Education - This organisation works to eliminate rape and sexual abuse through education and community work. We also support survivors of sexual abuse and their whanau/friends though various centres throughout New Zealand and a telephone crisis-line (09) 360 4004.

SAFE - SAFE operates the largest community-based treatment programme in Aotearoa / New Zealand for both adult and adolescent sex offenders

Strengthening Families - Strengthening Families provides coordinated support for families who are working with more than two agencies.

Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand - SPINZ is a national suicide prevention information service which aims to assist communities and services to prevent suicide by providing them with best practice information. It is NOT a crisis or counselling service.

Womens Refuge - Women's Refuges provide 24 hour support, advocacy and accommodation for women and their children experiencing family violence. It has refuges throughout New Zealand.

Youthlaw - YouthLaw Tino Rangatiratanga Taitamariki is a community law centre for children and young people throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. The aim of their website is to provide access to information about how the law can help youth overcome issues that may be affecting them.

Youthline - Young people needing support as they face life's challenges can connect Youthline anywhere in NZ, free on 0800 37 66 33. You can also email talk@youthline.co.nz or SMS text us on 027 4 YOUTHS

WINZ (Work and Income) - Work and Income (a service of the Ministry of Social Development) helps job seekers and pays income support on behalf of the Government. This includes superannuation payments to retired people along with the administration of war pensions and residential care and support subsidies. Work and Income also administers the Community Services Card, International Services, and the Enterprising Communities grants programme.