What is Shared Lives – our role explained

What is Shared Lives

Shared Lives is a service provided by individuals and families (Shared Lives (SL) Carers) in local communities and is distingushed by the following features:

• Placements are part of organised Shared Lives (SL) Schemes that approve and train the SL carers, receive referrals, match the needs of service users with SL carers and monitor the placements
• People using Shared Lives services have the opportunity to be part of the SL carers family and social networks
• SL carers can use their family home as a resource
• Placements provide committed and consistent relationships
• The relationship between the SL carer and the person placed with them is of mutual benefit
• SL carers can support up to three people at any one time
• SL carers do not employ people to provide care to people placed with them

SL Carers can provide:

• Long term accommodation and support
• Short breaks
• Day time support
• Rehabilitative or intermediate support
• Kinship support where the carer acts as ‘extended family’ to someone living in their own home

Our role explained

Our Shared Lives Scheme helps people find a new home, for short breaks or for living with Shared Lives Carers (SL Carers).

Some SL Carers live alone, some live with a partner and some live with their children.  We will tell you about SL Carers who you could be supported with, as a member of their family and get any help that you need.

When we have helped you to a find a SL Carer that might be right for you, we can show you a photograph of the SL Carer and their home.

You will be able to meet the SL Carers and visit them a few times so that you can get to know each other.

When you have stayed overnight once or twice we will ask you if you want to try living with the SL Carers to see if it is ok for both of you.  If the SL Carer agrees we will help you move into your new home or have a short break.

We will ask you to help us to write your SERVICE USER PLAN which will tell your Carers all about you.  It will list what you do during the day and what you like to do in the evening and at weekends.  Your plan will include what new things you would like to do and learn.  Your plan will also include what help you need to look after yourself and to do the things you want to do.

When you have decided to accept the support, we will have regular meetings with you and your SL Carers.  At the meetings you will be treated with respect and as a memeber of the family.  You must also treat the people who live with you with respect.

You will have a PLACEMENT AGREEMENT that will list the things that you and your SL Carers agree to do to help each other.  The Placement Agreement will also include what your Social Worker and the Shared Lives Scheme will do to help you and your SL Carer.

In your shared lives family home you will have your own room and you can bring your own things to put in it.  Your family and your friends can visit you when you want and you can go to see them.

Your SL Carer can help you with things like:

• managing your money
• make a meal
• make a phone call
• having a bath
• taking your medication
• getting dressed
• visit to the doctor or hospital appointment

Your SL Carer will get some money each week to help pay for your Shared Lives Placement.  You will also give some money from your benefits each week to help pay for where you live.  We will tell you how much to pay, but you will have enough money left to buy things for yourself and do things you want to do.

Any information your SL Carers have about you is private.  They will only share things with other people if they need to, in order to keep you safe or to get help you need.

If there is anything about your Shared Lives Placement you are not happy about, we hope you can talk to your SL Carers.  You can also talk to your Social Worker or the Shared Lives Scheme Managers, Deirdre Lyman and Stephen Williams.  You have the right to make a complaint if you feel there is a problem with your Shared Lives Placement that is not being sorted out.  Your Social Worker or the Shared Lives Scheme Managers can contact someone to help you with this.