There are various support groups, 24/7 helplines, and other free services. You can also find out about legal advice.
An independent charity, VOYCE Whakarongo Mai provides advocacy and support to young people currently or formerly under the guardianship or care of the government.
Visit the VOYCE Whakarongo Mai websiteopen_in_new
A government service, Oranga Tamariki’s Transition Support Services offer a range of support services for young people aged 15 to 25 who were under the guardianship, custody, or care of the government for more than three continuous months.
You can:
If you spent time in an orphanage, children's home, mission, foster care or other child welfare institution in New Zealand or Australia, you could get support from CLAN. They are based in Australia, so a lot of their information and support is around Australian care institutions.
CLAN can provide:
Visit the CLAN websiteopen_in_new.
The DPA advocates for disabled people.
Contact them by:
This is a private and confidential Facebook group for New Zealanders over 18 years old, who were in 'out-of-home care' as a child.
Visit the New Zealand’s Forgotten Children Facebookopen_in_new.
Supports families and whānau who open their homes and hearts to tamariki in need of care and protection.
Provides support and advocacy for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and their whānau.
Visit the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Care Action Network Aotearoa (FASC-CAN) websiteopen_in_new
Provides specialist support services to full time grandparent and other whānau care families.
The Survivor Experiences Service was set up from the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry.
Led by survivors and funded by the government, SES is an independent listening service.
Learn more about the Survivor Experiences Serviceopen_in_new.
NZCAST is an independent charitable trust NZCAST that provides various support services, including:
Visit the NZCAST websiteopen_in_new.
If you were abused by a person of authority in a religious or other institution, you can get support from SNAP Aotearoa.
SNAP Aotearoa is a New Zealand chapter of an international network of support groups of people hurt by a priest, minister, bishop, deacon, nun, coach, teacher or other religious or institutional authority. ('SNAP' stands for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.)
Visit SNAP Aotearoa's Facebook pageopen_in_new
This is a Facebook support group for anyone who has experienced abuse in a state or faith-based institution.
Visit the Survivors of Abuse in Faith Based Institutions Facebook pageopen_in_new.
A support group for people who have left the Gloriavale Christian Community, including survivors of abuse.
Visit the Gloriavale Christian Community websiteopen_in_new and Gloriavale Christian Community Facebookopen_in_new.
Honour the Promise is a campaign by the Human Rights Commission to put pressure on the government to action the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
The Honour the Promise website lists the recommendations and suggests ways you can support the campaign.
Visit the Honour the Promise website open_in_new
Survivors on Ribbons is a group of survivors of abuse in state or faith-based care and their supporters. They tie ribbons to public spaces (such as church fences) to represent the silenced voices of survivors of abuse in care.
Visit the Survivors on Ribbons Facebook pageopen_in_new
Little White Crosses is a campaign to promote awareness of, and end child abuse. Each white cross represents a survivor of abuse in state, faith based and medical care and those who have passed away without gaining justice.
Visit the Little White Crosses Facebook pageopen_in_new
Victim to Victory Walk is a 330km hīkoi from Christchurch to Wellington led by Shane Tibbotts, a survivor of abuse in state care.
The first hīkoi took place between October 2024 and 12 November 2024, coinciding with the Government’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care.
Another hīkoi took place in 2025, with other survivors of abuse in state care invited to join him.
Visit the Victim to Victory Walk websiteopen_in_new
PASAT is a charitable trust that provides safeguarding services and wellbeing support for adults (aged 18 or over) who have care and support needs. These services are free and nationwide.
You can contact them if you think a disabled adult is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse, violence and neglect. They prioritise disabled people who are receiving funded support from Disability Support Services (DSS).
They also provide wellbeing support to survivors of abuse that have learning disabilities, neurodiversity, or other cognitive impairments. They receive referrals from the Survivors Experiences Service.
Read more about PASAT’s SAFA serviceopen_in_new
Read more about PASAT’s Wellbeing Support for Survivors of Abuseopen_in_new
Provides free peer support services for adult survivors of sexual harm. You can:
Safe to Talk is a 24/7 sexual harm helpline provided by primary health organisations and funded by the government. If you want to talk to someone because you have experienced sexual harm, you can call the Safe to Talk helpline.
Contact Safe to Talk by:
If you need support because you have experienced sexual harm, you can contact a Rape Crisis centre near you. The collective is an independent charity.
Rape Crisis centres provide (for example):
To find the nearest Rape Crisis Centre:
If you have been a victim of a crime, you can call Victim Support for emotional and practical support. An independent charity, Victim Support partners with, and is contracted by, a range of government agencies.
They can also help refer you to other support services, and advocate for your rights as a victim.
An independent charitable trust, Tautoko Tāne provides support for male survivors of sexual abuse. Services include:
Find your nearest Tautoko Tāne Male Survivors Aotearoa support groupopen_in_new.
If you have experienced sexual abuse or assault, you can access ACC-funded therapy for support.
This is available to you even if you choose not to make an ACC claim or if you make a claim and are deemed ineligible for other types of support. ACC is a government agency.
Learn more about ACC-funded therapyopen_in_new.
Find out about making a claim to ACC.
New Zealand ACC Sensitive Issue Claimants Support is a non-profit group that provides help with making an ACC Sensitive Claim. Their website has information gathered through the experience of people who have been through the process already, with additional support for people who register to become members.
Visit the New Zealand ACC Sensitive Issue Claimants Support websiteopen_in_new
You can speak to a trained counsellor. It is free to call any of these helplines if you just want someone to talk to. Many of these helplines are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you would like counselling, support or advice by telephone, you can contact Lifeline.
If you are feeling stressed, a bit down or overwhelmed, you can contact Need to Talk.
You can choose to speak to a trained counsellor or a peer support worker. (A peer support worker is someone who has experienced similar life pressures as you, who can share with you what worked for them.)
If what you want to talk about involves your sexual orientation, gender identity or diverse sex characteristics, you can contact OutLine. You can speak to a trained volunteer who is also a member of the rainbow (LGBTQIA+) community.
You can contact OutLine from 6 - 9pm everyday by:
Visit the OutLine websiteopen_in_new.
If you are a young person wanting to speak to a counsellor, Youthline can help.
It is free to call any of these helplines to talk about a health problem. Many of these helplines are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you want to speak to a registered nurse for advice about a health problem, you can call Healthline on 0800 611 116.
Visit the Healthline websiteopen_in_new.
If you have problems with alcohol, cannabis or another drug, you can talk to a counsellor about it. You can:
If you are lonely, depressed, distressed or suicidal, you can call Samaritans for support from a trained volunteer.
If you live with anxiety (including panic attacks, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders), you can get support from Anxiety New Zealand.
They provide:
Visit the Anxiety New Zealand websiteopen_in_new.
If you are experiencing depression or anxiety, you can contact the Depression Helpline for support, tools, and information.
If you feel suicidal or want to talk about suicide, you can call Tautoko Suicide Crisis Helpline and speak to an experienced counsellor.
Find more mental health support groupsopen_in_new on the Mental Health Foundation website.
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