Thursday, February 9 2012
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Shared Lives

No descriptionThe Shared Lives Scheme currently provides approximately 120 placements, in over 42 homes across the Wakefield and Pontefract area. Shared Lives is a registered scheme with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). They inspect and monitor us at Shared Lives against the national minimal standards and regulations for adult placement. We were last inspected in February 2010 and received an 'Excellent' rating.

The scheme recruits, monitors and supports carers to provide care for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health difficulties and older people. You can care for up to three adults at any one time either long term, short term or in an emergency. We also have carers that provide Kinship support this is where a carer spends a few hours a week with the adult that needs support to help them go shopping, attend college or go out in the community for a pub lunch.

Shared Lives Carers come from a variety of backgrounds and age groups. They are ordinary people with the time, commitment and genuine desire to help others. Carers can be single people living alone, couples or families. As a Shared Lives Carer, you do not need experience or special qualifications. You will receive appropriate training to help you and the assessment to become a Shared Lives carer can take up to 4 months.

The carer/s offer people many of the important things only a real home can, such as:

  • help with day-to-day living
  • providing someone with their own personal space
  • emotional as well as physical support, and
  • a sense of belonging to and being part of the community

If you are approved as a Shared Lives Carer/s you will be self employed and paid a set fee. You also receive very generous tax allowances on that fee - see the link to the NAAPS (National Association of Adult Placement Schemes) website below.

Being a Shared Lives Carer is very worthwhile and Carers enjoy new friendships and know they are doing something worthwhile. If you have the time in your life, space in your home, and a spare bedroom, its worth finding out more.