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Shared Lives
Are you a positive person who could make a difference in someone’s life? Could you share your home, family and community life? The award winning, dedicated team at Shared Lives are looking for empathetic and compassionate carers to join them in a way that suits everyone, but more than that will allow them to truly become part of the family.
There is a rising need for caregivers in the UK, with many households facing the tough conversation of whether they can provide their family members with the very best levels of care. It is schemes like those supported by the award-winning Shared Lives group that have become so invaluable, both to the families, the carers and the local communities.
In Shared Lives an adult who has care or support needs is matched with a compatible Shared Lives carer, sharing their home, family and community life with the person, helping to develop and maintain independent living skills, friendships and connections in their local area.
Providing an alternative to the usual day services that can only stretch so far, the Shared Lives team are innovative in more ways than one, with other companies looking to them to see how it can be done, and done well. Having reached their 10 year anniversary in 2022, and with awards for their revolutionary scheme and considerate carers truly beginning to stack up, it’s little wonder that they’re seen as the place to go.
Offering their carers just as much support as those they care for, Shared Lives is all about recognising and delivering on the work-life balance that people are craving. Rather than a standard 9-5, the arrangement ensures that should the carer and their potential individual get on well, they will share their home, family and community life. This can mean that the individual becomes a regular daytime or overnight visitor to the carer's household, or it can mean that they move in with the carer for a long-term arrangement, truly becoming one of the family.
This new way of caring allows you to work around your childrearing needs or other daily commitments, providing you with flexibility and assistance in your everyday life whilst also including someone that may otherwise be missing out. The relationship between carer and those they are supporting can sometimes be lifelong.
Recruited from all walks of life following an assessment and training period to guarantee everyone is happy with the work at hand, carers receive ongoing support and supervision from the scheme for total peace of mind. This means you don’t need to have a bunch of qualifications to make a difference in someone’s life; you just need a little empathy and the desire to make a change.
So whether you have a spare bedroom or a spare hour, if you think this could be just the change you were looking for then get in touch.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SharedLivesSouthEastWales
Twitter: twitter.com/SEWSLS
Website: caerphilly.gov.uk/sharedlives
Telephone: 01443 864784
Email: adultp@caerphilly.gov.uk
Curious to know more about the process, and what exactly it entails when you open up your life to another person? These fantastic carers below give their own accounts of what it takes to be a part of the Shared Lives scheme.
Caroline and Tyrone Jones, Shared Lives Carers from Penpedairheol, Caerphilly who began three years ago.
What made you decide to become a Shared Lives Carer?
It was a transition from Foster care. We were fostering two sisters, one of whom was turning 18, and were anxious about her moving on and leaving her sister and wanted to be able to keep them together as a family.
What are the benefits of working as a Shared Lives Carer?
Shared Lives is an amazing service, after Fostering for 14 years, we found the offer of 28 nights paid respite was unbelievable, and so beneficial to us as Carers.
The rates of pay are fantastic, and the Scheme provides individuals with any health and social care needs the opportunity to live their best life.
The matching process is wonderful and was one of the reasons why my son and daughter-in-law also became Shared Lives Carers, and now provide sessional support and respite for the individual who we support long-term. This enables a familiar surrounding for the young person so that she is happy and secure, and we don’t need to worry or stress as we know she is safe.
What do you find most rewarding aspect of your role?
The privilege of being able to be a Shared Lives Carer is so rewarding, watching the young person adjust to adulthood in a safe environment, seeing them confident to make their own choices and live out their aspirations, and we are very fortunate to be there to see it happen.
Being a Shared Lives Carer is the best thing we have ever done; so many positives, from ongoing support, feeling appreciated, and the provision of 28 nights respite when we need it.
John Jones and Samantha Loisz-Jones, Shared Lives carers, Tredegar
Tyrone and Caroline’s son John and his wife Sam were introduced to the scheme through his parents and when they both found that they needed a career change due to a shift in their circumstances, it was a natural progression to take the plunge and move into the world of Health and Social Care. They have been working with Shared Lives for around 6 months now.
What made you decide to become a Shared Lives Carer?
John and myself are naturally very caring people, a few years ago we looked into fostering but on reflection felt the time wasn’t right for us with our son being so young. John and I found out about Shared Lives through John’s father and step mother, Ty and Caroline. They foster two children and also have Ellysia living with them through Shared Lives. With Caroline and Ty’s support, Ellysia is living her best life, seeing this got me and John thinking about providing sessional support which would work around 7 year old son George.
John became very unwell a year ago after having his second COVID vaccination and is still recovering through a rehabilitation fitness class. Being a Shared Lives carer means you have the flexibility to provide support hours around your family life and through John’s illness it has kept him going and given him something to look forward to.
What are the benefits of working as a Shared Lives Carer?
You can work the days and hours that best suit you. We love that we can support individuals alongside our family life, and the people we support can be a part of our family. For example, during school holidays some of the individuals we work with enjoy having our son join us during their sessional support, and we enjoy family meals at our home with other individuals we support.
What do you find most rewarding aspect of your role?
We feel our roles providing sessional support are not only vital to the person, but it is a lifeline to the family or carer that they live with.
Supporting someone to do something they love as independently as possible is the most rewarding aspect to our role.
Since working for Shared Lives our son has a different outlook on individuals with additional needs, he understands the needs of the individuals we support. He has always been a loving and caring child but one of the most rewarding parts since doing Shared Lives is that he has become even more empathetic, understanding and patient.
Ready to find out more about this incredible organisation and see how you can make a difference?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SharedLivesSouthEastWales
Twitter: twitter.com/SEWSLS
Website: caerphilly.gov.uk/sharedlives
Telephone: 01443 864784
Email: adultp@caerphilly.gov.uk
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