Leicestershire Shared Lives Service
Have families who could support you
What is Shared Lives?
Shared Lives (the new name for the Adult Placement Scheme) is an arrangement where individuals and families in local communities (Shared Lives Carers) provide accommodation and/or support for people who need some help to live the lives they choose.
Shared Lives Carers can provide a whole range of different supports and services, but whatever the type of service, all Shared Lives arrangements involve mutual sharing of everyday life experiences.
What makes Shared Lives different?
Shared Lives arrangements are made by an agency (the Shared Lives Service). The Shared Lives Service approves and trains the Shared Lives Carers, subject to satisfactory police, health, personal and employer reference checks and a detailed ‘Carer Assessment’.
Upon receiving referrals, the Service matches the needs of people seeking a Shared Lives arrangement and then supports and monitors the arrangements.
Shared Lives arrangements are very different from more traditional forms of support. The features that make them different include:
- People in Shared Lives arrangements have the opportunity to take part in the life of the Shared Lives Carers’ family and social networks
- Shared Lives Carers use their family home as a resource
- Arrangements provide committed and consistent relationships
- The relationship between the Shared Lives Carer and the person placed with them is of mutual benefit.
- Shared Lives Carers can support up to three people at any one time.
- Shared Lives Carers do not employ their own staff to provide care to the people placed with them.
Shared Lives Services are regulated in England by the Social Care Regulator, Care Quality Commission (CQC). To find out more about this visit their website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Further Information
Page Last Updated: 15 March 2011
