Shared Lives places people aged 16 and over who need care and support with approved carers who care for them in their family home.
This scheme covers Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Shared Lives places people aged 16 and over who need care and support with approved carers who care for them in their family home.
Placements can be long term, short term, respite or day support. There are lots of opportunities for Shared Lives carers and people using the scheme to meet and get to know each other before any placement goes ahead.
This scheme is registered with and regulated by the
Care Quality Commission (opens in a new window)
.
Shared Lives is for people who
have a learning disability
have mental health concerns
have a physical disability
are an older person who needs care and support
Their needs can be:
physical - help with getting dressed or getting around
emotional - becoming more confident or maintaining friendships
social - getting to know more people, or developing new skills
cultural - following a particular diet or customs
spiritual - keeping in touch with a faith community
What a Shared Lives arrangement can offer
being part of the carer's family or household
being part of the community
learning and using new skills
doing as much as people can for themselves and being as independent as possible
having privacy in the home and their lives
being treated well with thought, care and respect
being given choices and making decisions
leading the kind of life people want and achieving the things that are important to them
Shared Lives carers
There are lots of different kinds of Shared Lives carers - couples, single people, some have children and some provide support to more than one person.
Shared Lives carers are recruited, assessed and approved by the Shared Lives team and receive appropriate training. Carers are continually given ongoing support and training and placements are monitored by the team. Carers are self-employed and are paid for the service they provide, household costs and rent.
Great care is taken to match the people using the scheme with appropriate carers and provide support for carers to maintain positive and quality placements.
The Scheme always welcomes interest from potential new Shared Lives carers.
What to expect
People are referred to the scheme by their social care worker.
The Shared Lives Team introduce people to carers they think they will get on well with. They will explain:
where they live
what their house is like
how many other people live there and how old they are
what they enjoy doing and whether they have any pets
The team will arrange for the person and carer to meet and spend time together and can arrange to meet more than one carer so that the person finds the right carer for them.
It will help them get to know each other by spending time together, having overnight stays if they are going to live with a Shared Lives carer or have short breaks in the Shared Lives carer's home.
To find out more
Telephone 01202 451392 or email shared.lives@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
