Phoenix Futures

Phoenix Futures Phoenix Futures is a charity and housing association providing services for people affected by substance use We expanded and opened more houses in the 1980s.

The UK's first 'Phoenix House' opened its doors in London in 1969, offering Therapeutic Community (TC) based residential rehabilitation. Throughout the 1970s the Phoenix House TC programme adapted and modernised, becoming less rigid and adding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based group work to the programme. In the early 1990s, a large increase in funding for the substance use field focussed on HIV prevention. Many of the resulting services were harm reduction based. The first shift in approach came with the opening of the Fountain Project in 1994, an HIV/AIDS palliative care unit in South London. This service took clients on methadone prescriptions for the duration of their stay. From this point on the organisation began to embrace services for people who were trying to abstain, but were not quite at the point of actually achieving it. As these abstinence-oriented services expanded we won prison contracts where the goal of treatment was abstinence but the clients themselves were more ambivalent. As we developed more Tier 3 structured day services, commissioners increasingly asked us to add open access or Tier 2 elements to our provision. Initially, we embraced Tier 2 work that provided open access/entry points to the treatment system. With good services and strong local leadership we expanded into harm reduction. This has become the third stage of the organisation's evolution, so that we now deliver abstinence based, abstinence oriented and harm reduction services. We have always believed that people who use our services are individuals and that the recovery process for each person is different. We will use whatever interventions and models of service delivery help them along their personal path of recovery. As one of the most diverse substance use organisations in the UK we take pride in our ability to support changed lives from the street through to resettlement.

For Mother's day, Harper House hosted a special Mother’s Day tea, bringing together the community for an afternoon of ce...
15/03/2026

For Mother's day, Harper House hosted a special Mother’s Day tea, bringing together the community for an afternoon of celebration 🍰🌸☕

Why do so many people die in Scotland of drug and alcohol related issues?Behind the statistics are preventable deaths an...
12/03/2026

Why do so many people die in Scotland of drug and alcohol related issues?

Behind the statistics are preventable deaths and systems that too often fail people when they need help the most. Scotland continues to experience some of the highest drug-related death rates in Europe, while alcohol-related deaths have also risen to their highest levels in years.

In light of the Scottish Government’s new 9-year Alcohol and Drug Strategic Plan, Karen Biggs, CEO of Phoenix Futures, reflects on what must change and why treatment, recovery support and compassion must be at the heart of the response.

Read our latest blog here: https://zurl.co/aQIKc

Why aren’t more women accessing residential treatment?At our Glasgow service, admissions of women have fallen by 50% sin...
10/03/2026

Why aren’t more women accessing residential treatment?

At our Glasgow service, admissions of women have fallen by 50% since 2022.

Many women face barriers long before they reach treatment.
Fear of losing their children.
Fear of judgement.
Fear of what rehab might look like.

But residential treatment doesn’t have to mean separation or shame. Family services can support mothers and children together while women access the help they need. By challenging stigma and misconceptions, we can help more women take those first steps

Read our latest blog here: https://zurl.co/NlPKh

This International Women’s Day, we’re sharing Kirsty's story.Kirsty’s journey hasn’t been easy. But through recovery she...
08/03/2026

This International Women’s Day, we’re sharing Kirsty's story.

Kirsty’s journey hasn’t been easy. But through recovery she rebuilt relationships, rediscovered the things she loves, and now uses her lived experience to support others facing similar struggles.

“Really just push through that initial fear. Don’t let that be a barrier. Because it’s nowhere near as bad as what you’re already going through.”

Read her story here: https://zurl.co/3KFaS

This International Women’s Day, we’re reflecting on the power of giving to gain.When we give support, compassion and und...
08/03/2026

This International Women’s Day, we’re reflecting on the power of giving to gain.

When we give support, compassion and understanding, we help create space for women to rebuild, recover and thrive. And in return, we gain stronger communities, powerful voices and lasting change.

Today we celebrate the women who give so much of themselves to support others. 💜

✨ World Book Day 2026 ✨Harper House (our specialist family service in Scotland) had the most wonderful, literacy‑rich en...
06/03/2026

✨ World Book Day 2026 ✨
Harper House (our specialist family service in Scotland) had the most wonderful, literacy‑rich environment to celebrate World Book Day. The children were immersed in stories all day long, the staff dressed up in fantastic costumes, and they even enjoyed a cosy teddy bears’ picnic at lunchtime.

📚🐻✨
Here are some snapshots from the day!

This International Women's Day, we’re spotlighting an important conversation about the future of women’s treatment.Women...
06/03/2026

This International Women's Day, we’re spotlighting an important conversation about the future of women’s treatment.

Women entering residential detox and rehab often arrive carrying intersecting experiences of trauma, stigma, poverty, homelessness, criminalisation, racism, motherhood and loss. Their voices must shape not only how services are delivered today, but how they evolve for the future.

That’s why we’re proud that Rachael Clegg, organisational lead for women and families at Phoenix Futures, will be speaking at the Collective Voice Women’s Treatment Working Group webinar.

Rachael will be drawing on frontline experience to explore how we can remove barriers to residential treatment, strengthen pathways into support, and improve outcomes for women and their families.

The webinar will also explore how we can:
• Amplify the voices of marginalised women in treatment
• Champion role modelling within residential services
• Support the changes needed across the sector

Join the conversation as we recognise the role women are playing in shaping more responsive, trauma-informed treatment services.

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/euxq2-rn

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On International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting a truth we cannot ignore: too many women still experience our systems a...
06/03/2026

On International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting a truth we cannot ignore: too many women still experience our systems as punitive rather than protective.
Real change means early identification, clear pathways into specialist residential services, and coordinated support that keeps families safely together.
Our latest blog sets out the shifts needed across justice, health and social care.

Click the link below or read on our website.
https://zurl.co/Urkqd https://zurl.co/Urkqd


Some of the most vulnerable women in our society are still more likely to end up in prison than in support. More likely ...
05/03/2026

Some of the most vulnerable women in our society are still more likely to end up in prison than in support. More likely to be separated from their children than helped to stay safely together.
This International Women’s Day, we’re calling for real alternatives to custody and clear pathways into specialist residential services for women and their families.

Read the full blog on our website or use the link below.

https://zurl.co/rVYdY


Women in custody remain some of the most marginalised in our communities, and too many are still sent to prison when wha...
03/03/2026

Women in custody remain some of the most marginalised in our communities, and too many are still sent to prison when what they need is safety, stability and the right support. In this article, Rachael Clegg sets out why trauma‑informed, gender‑specific alternatives to custody are essential for women and their families, and why the current system is not meeting their needs. It is a powerful call for change and a reminder that fairness starts with understanding the realities of women’s lives.
Read the full piece to see what must happen next and why it matters.
https://zurl.co/IStsC

To mark Wildlife Day, we’re celebrating one of the quieter residents of our green space: the hedgehog. Our on‑site hedge...
03/03/2026

To mark Wildlife Day, we’re celebrating one of the quieter residents of our green space: the hedgehog. Our on‑site hedgehog house in Buxton offers a safe refuge for a species that has seen numbers fall sharply across the UK, and it gives the community a simple, meaningful way to support local wildlife.

How the hedgehog house benefits the community:

Strengthens local nature - A safe spot for hedgehogs encourages a healthier mix of wildlife, which helps gardens and shared green areas flourish.

Brings people together - Visitors and volunteers can take part in gentle conservation tasks and learn how to make their own outdoor spaces more wildlife‑friendly.

Supports wellbeing - Spending time outdoors and contributing to nature recovery offers a sense of calm, purpose and connection.

Raises awareness -The hedgehog house acts as a talking point, helping people understand why hedgehogs are struggling and what small steps can make a difference.

Wildlife Day is a reminder that caring for nature starts close to home. By giving hedgehogs a safe place to thrive, we’re also creating a space where people can reconnect with the natural world and with one another.

Address

68 Newington Causeway
London
SE16DF

Telephone

+442072349740

Website

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Our Story

The UK's first 'Phoenix House' opened its doors in London in 1969, offering Therapeutic Community (TC) based residential rehabilitation. Throughout the 1970s the Phoenix House TC programme adapted and modernised, becoming less rigid and adding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based group work to the programme. We expanded and opened more houses in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, a large increase in funding for the substance misuse field focussed on HIV prevention. Many of the resulting services were harm reduction-based. Phoenix House decided not to get involved in such activity as it contradicted the mission and competencies of the organisation. Our services were abstinence-based, for clients who wanted to be 'clean' and had stopped taking illegal drugs before they walked through the door. The first shift in approach came with the opening of the Fountain Project in 1994, an HIV/AIDS palliative care unit in South London. This service took clients on methadone prescriptions for the duration of their stay. From this point on the organisation began to embrace services for people who were trying to abstain, but were not quite at the point of actually achieving it. As these abstinence-oriented services expanded we won prison contracts where the goal of treatment was abstinence but the clients themselves were more ambivalent. As we developed more Tier 3 structured day services, commissioners increasingly asked us to add open access or Tier 2 elements to our provision. Initially, we embraced Tier 2 work that provided open access/entry points to the treatment system, whilst continuing to avoid 'classic' harm reduction activities such as needle exchange. With good services and strong local leadership, we expanded into harm reduction. This has become the third stage of the organisation's evolution, so that we now deliver abstinence-based, abstinence oriented and harm reduction services. We have always believed that our service users are individuals and that the recovery process for each person is different. We will use whatever interventions and models of service delivery help them along their personal path of recovery. As one of the most diverse substance misuse organisations in the UK, we take pride in our ability to support changed lives from the street through to resettlement.