The organisation launches its Guardian Angel fundraising initiative this week to raise money for services aimed at helping families find "lasting, positive outcomes for their children".
Presbyterian Support Otago Family Works chief executive Gillian Bremner said New Zealand's record of child abuse as "shameful" and every child had a fundamental right to feel safe in their own home.
"We need to step up those support services we know can help families cope with their stresses.
"The continuing recession is hitting many families very hard and the escalating pressure on them to cope is stretching them to breaking point," she said.
Southern District Family Violence co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Kelvin Lloyd, of Dunedin, said officers attended 3800 family violence incidents in the Southern District last year.
Of those, children were present at half and the number of children reported as victims in Dunedin for 2009-10 was 38, although that figure was "a bit misleading" as all children exposed to family violence were effectively victims, he said.
"Any assault is serious, especially on the most vulnerable of our society. In many cases, it is not the physical scars that cause the damage, but the psychological ones," he said.
The Guardian Angel campaign is based on people giving $30 or more each month to help families. Appeal envelopes will be in papers mid-month, with all funds raised in the region used to help Otago families.
Family Works is supporting 1600 families in Otago and has waiting lists of up to two months for assistance in both Dunedin and Central Otago.
Services such as budgeting advice and parenting programmes were in high demand and the Buddy programme had a waiting list of up to a year, Mrs Bremner said.
"We know our services enable families to identify issues and change negative outcomes, and in an ideal world we would be able to start the process as soon as it is requested, but current funding levels limit our response.
"A successful Guardian Angel campaign will mean earlier support for families at risk and ultimately fewer abused children," she said.
For more information visit www.angel.org.nz or call the donation line 0800-20-50-80.
