SharedLives Plus - Services

Shared Lives is a regulated service in which a family includes an individual in their family and community life. In many cases a disabled or older person becomes a permanent part of a supportive family. Shared Lives carers are carefully selected and trained by a regulated Shared Lives scheme. They are paid a fixed amount, rather than an hourly rate. Some receive up to four weeks paid breaks per year, whilst the person living with them receives respite care. Shared Lives aims to enable people to experience ordinary life, with real relationships, rather than to provide a service. Shared Lives is not an “off the peg” service – it is highly personalised, relying on achieving a match between the individual requiring support and the Shared Lives carer who wishes to support them.

 

Shared Lives has traditionally been a service for adults with learning disabilities, often matching individuals with families where they will live for the long term or with whom they have regular visits, such as every weekend, in order to give family carers a break. Shared Lives is increasingly being used for people with a range of disabilities or illnesses and for older people. Many Shared Lives schemes now also apply the principles of Shared Lives to providing day support for adults with a range of challenges. Some foster carers who have been providing long term support to a disabled child transfer to a Shared Lives scheme in order to continue to include that individual in their family life.