The three family homes in South Gloucestershire communities, which have been bought and renovated to help support local young people, are now fully open.
These homes provide therapeutic support to nine children in the council’s care, offering stable, nurturing places to live. Phoenix Learning & Care, has been commissioned by the council to manage them.
All have been certified by Ofsted; with the first home, which opened late last year, receiving a ‘Good’ Ofsted judgement, the remaining two homes will be inspected by Ofsted in the next few months.
The council has a responsibility to support all children in South Gloucestershire who need it. Children 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.
Evidence demonstrates that if children can stay local, even when families are unable to care for them, they are more likely to do well in school and to build and maintain relationships.
These new homes will allow children to move back to their own areas, rebuilding their lives, returning to their education, and continuing friend and family relationships.
Until now, there has not been enough capacity and suitable homes to care for all the children in the council’s care locally. Too often this has meant children have had to live in homes miles from their communities, friends, schools, and everything else that is familiar to them.
Homes with private providers outside the district are also more expensive to the council, so we want to do better for the children we care for, and to get better value for money by spending it locally.
Each home will be for up to three children from South Gloucestershire aged between 8-18 years. They are nurturing, warm, welcoming spaces. The support children receive in these homes is provided by trained carers, employed by Phoenix, who aim to provide a safe, consistent home environment.
The council believe the children deserve to live in well-developed community areas, with access to good resources such as parks and recreational spaces.
The children and team members at the homes are encouraged to make positive connections with their neighbours. We hope they will be welcomed and included into these existing communities, through opportunities such as youth groups, Scouts or Guides for example.
South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children’s Services, councillor Simon Johnson, said: “As a council we owe all our young people a duty of care and I know all Councillors feel our collective responsibility as Corporate Parents very strongly.
“I am so pleased to see this project completed. These three new homes for children, with the support or our partners at Phoenix, will keep them in the heart of our communities, where we can work together to help them thrive and to build their lives back up.
“I have had the privilege of meeting many children who have been in care and their stories and strength have often been humbling. So many of them have been so clear that help and support from the council and others, when things are at their most difficult, has been vital to help them in being able to look forward with the hope, confidence and ambition that we all wish for our children.
“These young people 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.”
Phoenix Learning & Care Operations Director, Beth Benyon, said: “At Phoenix Learning & 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 children 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 8-18 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 is available here: https://youtu.be/i0F4-QayHJU in which councillor Johnson and Beth Benyon of Phoenix Learning & Care discuss the homes and their positive impact on the young people who live there.
