The recruitment procedure

The Recruitment Procedure

If you decide to become a Shared Lives Carer you need to complete an application form and follow the recruitment process which a Shared Lives Worker will support you through.  It involves a Shared Lives Worker visiting you, an Enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check being completed and you providing references (including a GP reference).  Training is provided to ensure Shared Lives Carers are able to provide the right level and type of support.  Once the assessment process in completed, the Shared Lives Worker will present your application on your behalf to the scheme’s Approval panel who will make a decision regarding approval.

Click here for an Application Form

This includes:

• Basic information about your household
• Why you want to become a Shared Lives Carer
• Personal/professional references
• Reference from your GP
• Consent to carry out Criminal Records Bureau and local authority checks.

Following your application, you will receive a pre-assessment visit by a Shared Lives Worker.  This is an opportunity for us to explain the approval process to you in detail and ensure that the home is suitable with regards to space, cleanliness, health and safety etc.  The visit will also ensure there is nothing outstanding that might prevent you from becoming a Shared Lives Carer, such as personal difficulties or financial motivation.  It should also help you to decide whether you wish to continue with the assessment process and become a Shared Lives Carer.

Checks and references

References and checks will be taken up once the application form has been signed.

Subsequent visits

The Shared Lives Worker will visit you on several more occasions, to get to know you and your family because it is important that the whole family understands the commitment of having a new member within their family.  During these visits the worker will be assessing your skills and knowledge through a variety of discussions and observation.

Pre-approval training

Dependant on previous experience, qualifications and training it may be necessary to complete some pre-approval training called Learning the Ropes (around 30 hours).  This is training specially developed by the National Association of Adult Placement Services (NAAPS).  Some of this training can be delivered by the Shared Lives Worker, during visits to your home, and some will be delivered to groups of potential Shared Lives Carers.  There is also a requirement for people to be training in Vulnerable Adult Awareness and First Aid.

Assessment Pack

The Shared Lives Worker uses all the information they have available about the applicant from the recruitment process to put together an assessment pack.  This is then presented to the Approval Panel to enable them to make a decision regarding approval.  Applicants are able to see the pack, and to agree its content before it is submitted.

The Approval Panel

The panel meets every two to three months and includes a variety of people with an interest in Shared Lives Placements.  Panel members are from social care organisations, the voluntary and public sector, a current Shared Lives Service User and a current Shared Lives Carer.  The panel has been trained by the National Association of Adult Placement Carers.

The Shared Lives Worker will contact you after this meeting to tell you what happened and the decision that was made.  The decision will be confirmed by a letter from the chair of the panel.

If you disagree with the panel’s decision you have the right to appeal.  This appeal would be heard by members of the panel who did not attend the original approval panel meeting.

The Matching Process

Following on from successful approval it is our aim to match you and the facilities and level of care you are able to offer to the needs of the people who have been referred for placements.  We will also take into consideration personal like, dislikes, interests etc.  This could mean that it takes some time to find a suitable person to place in your home.  As soon as an appropriate person is put forward who would like a Shared Lives Placement we will make arrangements to introduce you so all parties can make a decision regarding suitability.  This may involve the individual visiting and staying with you in your home.

Additional Training

The Shared Lives Worker will work with you to identify and provide the training you require to become a professional Shared Lives Carer.  Specific training may be required to meet the needs of the person you have been matched with, for example Epilepsy Awareness training would only be required if the person placed with you has Epilepsy.

Quality and Quantity of Support Necessary and the Care Standards (April 2002)

The Care Standards Act 2002 establishes a way of regulating all care provision in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Guideposts Trusts and their managers are to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as the various schemes’ providers.

Guideposts Trusts as the providers of this scheme are members of the National Association of Adult Placement Services (NAAPS).

Scheme users have different needs and levels of dependence which may change over time.  Shared Lives Carers must consistently promote the health, welfare and general well being of the scheme user in accordance with their assessed needs.  Also key is that Shared Lives Carers enable and support scheme users to be fully integrated into their household and local community and encourage the development of daily living and independence skills.  Some people may use a Shared Lives Placement as a stepping stone to a more independent form of living.

Wherever possible we would like people to manage their own finances and medication.  In some circumstances it may be necessary for Shared Lives Carers to provide support with budgeting, bill payment, handling money or taking medication.

As a Shared Lives Carer, you will be viewed as professionals, and will be responsible for respecting the confidentiality and rights of the person placed with you at all times.  You will be supported and will work alongside other professionals in identifying needs, and implementing and reviewing individual care plans.