You may think you have to have your own house and have experience. You don’t!

What matters are your qualities as a person and your commitment to meeting the needs of the people that you will be supporting. We are looking for people to be approved Shared Lives Carer’s from the widest of backgrounds, experience and circumstances. We need people that are able to offer a genuine commitment to the people who require short breaks or more long term care.

We urgently need Shared Lives Carers who can meet the racial and cultural needs for those adults from Black and Asian communities.

There is no such thing as a typical Shared Lives Carer. You may:

• be from any ethnic, cultural or religious background
• be married or single
• already have a family or not
• be employed or unemployed
• own your own house or be a tenant
• be in a same sex relationship or heterosexual relationship

What are most important are your individual qualities?  

Things you will need to be a good Shared Lives Carer are:

• People that have an ability to be supportive and understanding
• Willingness to help vulnerable people to be as independent as possible - not just doing things for them.
• Time patience and tolerance
• Energy and stamina
• Honesty
• Work as part of a team
• Good sense of humour
• Willingness to learn and continue to learn

Your circumstances may mean that one type of service may suit you better than another - we will talk to you about this and make sure you get the 'right' sorts of placements.

There are certain expectations and requirements regarding applicants suitability for example; health, criminal convictions, having a spare bedroom, health and safety in your home.