Become a Shared Lives carer and make a difference

​Wakefield Council is celebrating its amazing Shared Lives carers and the lives of the people they support during Shared Lives Week (15 – 19 June).

The Council's Shared Lives Service supports adults with additional needs to develop independent living skills and make choices within a family home.

Shared Lives are urgently seeking to recruit other kind and dedicated people to care for adults in their own homes.

Shared Lives carers need a spare room in their home and a willingness to support someone with a learning disability, physical disability, mental health needs or needs which come with growing older.

The service works by matching the person needing support with a Shared Lives carer, recruited from the community, who can give them the support they need.

Cllr Faith Heptinstall, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, said: "Shared Lives is very important to the community and it's fantastic to be able to celebrate these kind and dedicated carers and the people they support.

"Being a Shared Lives carer can be very rewarding and can bring a lot of happiness to people's lives. If you have a genuine desire to help others, the time in your life, space in your home, and a spare bedroom, it's worth finding out more.

If you're think about becoming a Shared Lives carer, you can read Andrew and Debbie's story about how Shared Lives changed their lives here.

If you have a spare room and have a genuine desire to support adults with care needs, then please get in touch. No experience is needed as full training is given. Shared Lives carers receive a payment for the support they provide.

Call 01977 722 254 or visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/sharedlives to find out more about Shared Lives.