Charlotte* was first referred to Tasmania's family violence counselling service in 2008, when her then-husband was arrested for physical violence.

Key points: The Family Violence Counselling and Support Service is the only extended-hours service of its kind in Tasmania

The Family Violence Counselling and Support Service is the only extended-hours service of its kind in Tasmania Workers say the service is beginning to fail clients, with funding falling behind demand

Workers say the service is beginning to fail clients, with funding falling behind demand Those who have used the service say it has been a "lifeline"

A university-educated professional, her family did not want to believe what was going on.

She used the service for eight years.

"I didn't really have anywhere else to turn and they made me feel supported and encouraged — they believed me," she said.

"I really believe the support service was my lifeline."

Beth* was referred to the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (FVCSS) by the police about 10 years ago.

"I could not have gotten through the past decade without their support," she said.

"I think that if I hadn't had that service, I would have stopped reporting to police.

"I had no reserves left. I had been chipped down to less than nothing.

"They gave me the belief that I could do this and I was capable of doing this, and there were other people there who I could call on and they had my back and would be checking in on me."

But workers with Tasmania's FVCSS say the service is beginning to fail clients, with state funding falling behind ballooning demand.

The FVCSS helps those who have been affected by family violence with the police process, as well as counselling, organising safe accommodation, referrals to Legal Aid and therapeutic services.

It operates until midnight on weekdays, and during the evening on weekends and public holidays, taking direct calls as well as crisis referrals from Tasmania Police.

There is no other extended-hours counselling and support service for those affected by family violence in Tasmania.

Referrals up 30 per cent, union says

From 2012-13 to 2017-18, the support service for adults saw a dramatic increase in the number of referrals, from 4,365 to 6,126.

Thirza White from the Community and Public Sector Union said community attitudes towards family violence had changed for the better.

"And what we've seen as a result of that is increasing demand," Ms White said.

"So we've seen about a 30 per cent increase in referrals for the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service, and yet we have the exact same numbers of staff that we had a decade ago."

Workers are concerned their service is becoming increasingly telephone-based, with only 10 staff statewide and only one rostered to work outside of business hours, meaning no face-to-face support is possible in the evening.

The union wants the Government to fund 11 more staff for the service, and extend its after-hours services.

"Often someone will ring and it might be the first time that they've ever reached out for some support and they then ask if someone can come and meet with them and make a police report and walk through that process with them," Ms White said.

"And when you only have one person employed at that point, you have to say 'no', or 'I could do that tomorrow'."

Support service funded adequately: Government

There was $1.5 million over two years in the 2018-19 Budget for Tasmania's Safe at Home initiative, some of which was for increased full-time positions for the FVCSS, the Children and Young Person's Program and the extended hours service.

But the union says most of that money was eaten up covering a funding shortfall, not boosting the extended-hours service.

Workers believe the counselling service is beginning to fail victims. ( Pixabay: ninocare )

Both Charlotte and Beth stressed the importance of an extended-hours service.

"I almost always used the service out of hours, when my ex had finished work," Charlotte said.

"He had more time and that's when I would be confronted by his behaviour more, and that's when I would use the service."

"Family violence doesn't occur on a nine-to-five time schedule," Beth said.

The Government's new action plan for family and sexual violence for 2019-2022 acknowledges the need for counselling for adults and children affected by family violence, but does not make reference to FVCSS.

In a statement, a Government spokesman said under the new action plan there was a range of support and counselling available.

"Those supports include Safe Choices, the Australian Childhood Foundation, Engender Equality, and the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service, as well as a range of other supports for victims through Tasmania's integrated criminal justice response and other statewide community-based support services," the statement said.

It went on to say that advice from the Department of Communities was that the FVCSS was staffed adequately.

"However, the model is consistently reviewed to ensure the service is working as intended to help Tasmanians in need."

No portfolio responsibilities for new Minister

The union wants to meet the new Family Violence Minister, Premier Will Hodgman. ( ABC News: Ellen Coulter )

In his most recent Cabinet reshuffle, Premier Will Hodgman made himself Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence.

But while Mr Hodgman will be leading the strategy and policy on prevention of family violence, portfolio responsibilities still lie with the Human Services Minister, Roger Jaensch.

"What we need to see is that this is more than just a symbolic gesture, more than a PR stunt," Ms White said.

"What we really need to see is that Premier sits down and meets with his workforce that are the experts in this area and listen to their repeated calls for extra resources and act on them."

Family violence counsellors in the north of the state have already taken industrial action because of low staff numbers causing "unmanageable" workloads.

The union has written to Mr Hodgman requesting a meeting.

*Not their real name