Any adult who is able to have an assessment by a member of one of the social work teams, may be able to use Shared Lives. People who are able to have an assessment usually have either a learning disability, mental health difficulties, a physical disability or are a vulnerable older adult.

The Matching Process

If after your assessment, it has been agreed that your primary carer needs a break, your social worker can contact the Shared Lives scheme. This is called a referral.  Once a referral has been received, a Shared Lives Worker will come to see you to find out if you want a man or a woman to care for you, what your interests are, if you like pets and other aspects that are important to you. The worker will then look at all the available placements and see if any would be suitable to provide the care you need.  A visit to the carer/s home can be arranged and you can go for tea to check out if you like it before having an overnight stay. You are then in a better position to decide if you would like to go again to see the carer/s. This is called the 'matching process'.

What should you expect if you stay with a Shared Lives Carer?

• being able to stay with an ordinary family in an ordinary family home.
• their home is maintained to a safe and comfortable standard
• respect, dignity, choice, independence and personal fulfilment
• ordinary life opportunities, to take risks and to be listened to
• the right to confidentiality
• the right to have your ethnic and cultural differences recognised and provided for, and your sexuality respected.
• to be involved in the planning of your own care and to influence services provided
• to make a complaint about the service if you wish to, and to have the complaint investigated in line with our complaints procedure
• to have opportunity to share the daily life of the Shared Lives Carer.