Three new houses for children in the care of South Gloucestershire Council will open over the summer, providing homes and live-in, wrap-around support for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
The council has purchased the three houses over the course of the past year and worked with its partner, Phoenix Learning and Care, who will manage and staff the homes with trained carers, to get them ready for young people to move into.
The council has a responsibility to support vulnerable children and young people in our area who need it. Children and young people may not be able to live with their families for various reasons, and as their corporate parents, the council needs to provide them with a stable home and appropriate help so that they get the best possible start in life.
The evidence demonstrates that if children and young people can stay local, even after family breakdown, they will do much better in school and with building and maintaining relationships.
There is not currently enough capacity and properties to look after all of the children in the council’s care in the district. Too often this means they are sent to placements miles from their communities, friends, schools, and everything else that is familiar to them. This can make rebuilding their lives much harder and the new homes will allow children to move back to their own areas or not be placed so far away.
Placements with private providers outside the district are also more expensive to the council, so we want to do better for the young people we care for, and to get better value for money by spending it locally.
Each home has been prepared to offer a nurturing, warm, welcoming space for up to three young people from South Gloucestershire aged between 8-17 years old.
The council believe the children deserve to live in well-developed community areas, with access to good resources such as parks and recreational areas. The children will be encouraged to use local youth groups, such as Scouts or Guides for example, to make local connections in the area. The children and staff at the homes will be encouraged to make positive connections with their neighbours and hope that they would be welcomed and included into these existing communities.
South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children’s Services, councillor Simon Johnson, said: “As a council we feel our collective duty to these children very strongly and we have a shared responsibility as Corporate Parents.
“These new homes will keep some of our children who need our help the most in the heart of our communities, where we can collectively nurture and support them and help them to build their lives back up.
“Through my work in Cabinet, I have had the privilege of meeting many children who have been in care and they have told me clearly, that without help and support from the council and our partners, their lives could have turned out very differently.
“They are not just children in care, or care leavers. They are students and friends, apprentices and workmates. They are a part of our community, and they need our support. I am delighted that through these new homes we will be able to provide that.”
While the addresses are not published, to protect the privacy of the children and young people, the council and Phoenix have worked with local people to help them understand how the new homes will be run and to help pave the way for the new residents to become part of the community.
Phoenix Learning and Care Operations Director, Beth Benyon, said: “At Phoenix Learning and Care, everything we do is rooted in our belief that every child and young adult deserves the opportunity to flourish. With over 40 settings across the South of England and South Wales, including schools, further education, children’s residential homes, and adult supported living, we create spaces where individuals can thrive, both now and in the future.
“We’re proud to offer tailored support that recognises the uniqueness of each child, placing them at the heart of our thinking and practice. Our dedicated Team Members, including an in-house Integrated Therapies Team, work together with empathy, honesty, aspiration, respect and teamwork to deliver high-quality care and education. Through therapeutic support, structure and nurture, we help young people gain confidence, stability and the life skills they need to move forward.
“We’re genuinely excited to be working with South Gloucestershire Council on this new partnership. Together, we will provide three family-style homes that keep children aged 8–17 close to what matters, their families, their schools, and their communities.
“Looking ahead, we see this partnership as the start of something really special. By combining our shared values and expertise, we can make a lasting difference to the lives of children in South Gloucestershire, helping them to feel safe, valued and full of potential.”
A video introducing and showcasing the new homes is available on the council’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/SHEu3mfeGNY
