What is a Shared Lives Carer
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What is a Shared Lives Carer
A Shared Lives Carer is someone who shares their home and family life with an individual with care and support needs.
This can be done where the individual lives with the Shared Lives Carer, stays overnight, or visits for a few hours.
Shared Lives Carers support individuals by helping them become independent and provide support within a family environment in which the Individual can thrive.
Support can vary depending on the individual’s needs, such as:
- helping the individual with dressing
- cooking and meal preparation
- going to appointments
- meeting friends and attending community events
- reaching their goals
Who you will be supporting
Individuals with care and support needs can benefit from using Shared Lives on a live in, overnight, or day support basis, depending on their circumstance.
Shared Lives provides a flexible form of support which can include supporting those discharged from hospital, to those taking a break from their usual support.
Shared Lives can work for anyone.
Individuals using the service can include those with a learning disability, a mental health condition, or an elderly person.
Shared Lives Carers and individuals will have the opportunity to meet and spend time with each other during the matching process.
Who can become a Shared Lives Carer
Shared Lives Carers do not require any qualifications or previous experience working in the care sector.
Full training for this role will be provided, including specialist training for the individual, you will be supporting.
All potential applicants will go through an intensive recruitment and assessment process before they are approved.
A few characteristics we look for:
- a caring personality
- enthusiasm and commitment to the role
- ability to empower and build confidence
- provide a safe living family environment
All Shared Lives Carers are required to have access to the internet and a secure laptop or tablet device.
How we support Shared Lives Carers
We work with all applicants through the recruitment and assessment process.
Once approved, Shared Lives Carers will be supported with their training and achieving certain competencies, before they can be considered for a match.
All Shared Lives Carers will be assigned an officer to work with, who will be their first point of contact, for any questions or support they may require.
We will aim to match our Shared Lives Carers with a compatible individual, and will check in with them, at every step of the process.
The matching process is flexible and can be as long or as short as required and will not proceed until all parties are ready to commit.
Salary and benefits
Shared Lives is a paid opportunity that offers a generous tax-free allowance (covering earnings from £23,000 pa and upwards).
Payment can vary depending on the individual’s care and support needs and will cover various allowances.
Shared Lives Carers can work flexibly from home, alongside other work, and life commitments.
Share your life and home and benefit from a fulfilling and rewarding role.
Enjoy being a part of a wider community of Shared Lives Carers.
Apply to become a Shared Lives Carer
Apply via the Shared Lives Portal
Or you can email Shared.Lives@barnet.gov.uk
Contact us
Email: Shared.Lives@barnet.gov.uk
Telephone: 0208 359 3576