Phoenix Futures National Specialist Family Service

Ratings

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

We assessed Phoenix Futures National Specialist Family Service on 14 and 15 April 2026.
Phoenix Futures National Specialist Family Service offers residential treatment for parents experiencing drug and/or alcohol problems whilst remaining the primary carers for their children. The service can accommodate 12 families including single parents, pregnant women or couples looking after children up to the age of 10. Children can live with their parents in the service. Children can attend the onsite nursery, currently rated Outstanding by Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) or enrol in external childcare provision or school to allow parents to participate in treatment. Each family has their own room and access to a shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.
The service offers two flexible treatment programmes of either 12 or 26 weeks. Programmes consist of three elements:
• therapeutic support, to help clients address their substance misuse
• parenting, where support is offered by specialist childcare workers to improve clients’ parenting skills
• childcare, that includes the on-site nursery and crèche.
The service also offers an on-site medically monitored withdrawal programme for clients that are physically dependent on alcohol. The service accepts referrals from community services across the country including substance misuse teams, social care organisations, courts, and privately funded clients.

The National Specialist Family Service has been registered with The Care Quality Commission since 20 January 2011 to provide the regulated activity of accommodation for persons who require Treatment for substance misuse and has a registered manager and a nominated individual in post.

At the time of our inspection there were 6 people receiving treatment.
At our last inspection in 2019 we rated the service as good. At this inspection the rating has remained as good. The service provided safe care, the environment was clean and well maintained, there were enough staff to keep clients safe, and clients could access specialists to meet their needs.
Staff showed an excellent understanding of safeguarding and there was evidence of good, professional relationships with the local safeguarding team.
Staff completed thorough, individualised risk assessments with clients and updated these regularly as well as when risks changed. Managers ensured that staff received training, supervision and appraisals. Feedback from clients about the services provided were very positive. Clients told us that they felt safe, that staff were “lovely, helpful and very supportive” and that the environment was “homely, welcoming and a special place”.

People's experience of this service

We spoke with 5 clients during the inspection. All clients gave very positive feedback. Clients said that service was “homely”, “a special place” and that “Phoenix Futures saved my life”. Clients described staff as caring and compassionate and respectful and told us “staff go out of their way to help”.
Clients said they felt involved in the development of their care, and that they felt safe and listened to.
Clients told us they had access to a specialist doctor and were registered with a local GP and dentist upon admission. Staff would refer clients to other services as appropriate and support them to access these.
Clients told us that they felt welcome when arriving at the service and felt staff were very supportive. They told us that the service had a good sense of community and was clean, well equipped and well maintained.