Shared Lives Haringey – support to live more independently

Are you an adult needing extra support? Are you looking for an arrangement that supports you to live as independently as possible whilst living in a home environment?

Then Shared Lives could be for you.

About Shared Lives

Shared Lives is for adults who need a little extra support and want to live in a family home environment. It’s a bit like foster care - but for adults. We will carefully match you with one of our Shared Lives carers, who share their home and family, supporting you to develop your skills, work towards your goals and support you to be more independent. You could spend the day, stay for a short break, or move–in - it’s completely flexible to your needs.

It is a great way to have flexible support that is about you. We take great care to match individuals and Shared Lives carers who get along and have shared interests, and importantly, a shared sense of humour! 

Shared Lives is a fantastic alternative to other forms of care, like residential care homes or supported living - particularly for people who don’t want to live alone. For people who want support during the day, it’s more flexible than a day-centre: you can use the carer’s home as a base but also go out doing the things you want to do. It helps people to live as part of an ordinary family, part of the community, and to build up strong, more natural relationships.

Who Shared Lives is for

If you’re over 18 and want to live in a family home, but need some help to live independently, then Shared Lives could be for you. The reason people need support are varied, and could include: 

• a learning disability
• a physical disability
• anxiety or mental ill health 
• someone with dementia, or another support need, who needs a short break away from their normal home 
• someone who needs some support after leaving hospital before going back to their own home 
• young adults who have lived in foster care or children’s services and aren’t ready to live alone

If you need help paying for your care and support, you will be assessed by a social worker – but we can help you to find out if you think Shared Lives might be right for you. We can also support people who want to pay for themselves, or pay using direct payments or have an Individual Service Fund.

Shared Lives is about helping you to gain skills and independence, participate in the community, and help you achieve your own goals – whether these are big or small.

How Shared Lives can adapt to your needs

Every arrangement between a carer and person using Shared Lives is as unique as they are. 

Shared Days

Shared Days is for people who want to spend their day with a Shared Lives carer, at their home or out in the community.

It might be you benefit from one-to-one interaction, or you might rather socialise in small groups.

Your Shared Days experience could be about having fun and trying new activities, or you might want to learn new skills to help you gain confidence. Our carers could support you to face new or routine challenges, such as health appointments, starting volunteering or working, or even answering mail.

Whatever life throws at you, our carers can support you on the telephone and video calls or come and help you in person.

Short breaks

This is for people who want to have short-breaks away from their normal home. You can stay in the carers’ home and they will give you all the help you need.

Short breaks can be overnight, or can be for just a few days or a week, or even longer depending on the circumstances and what you need. It might be just once, or you may go for regular short breaks. 

A short break will give you time away from your normal home and carers, and a chance to try new things and meet new people. 

Shared Lives

You can also move in with your Shared Lives carers. You will have your own room, and a plan on how they will support you. How long you stay could vary - it could be a few months or anything up to many decades. You might spend your days doing other things in the community or with a different Shared Lives carer. You may go and stay with another shared Lives carer for a short break a few times a year. 

Who pays for Shared Lives 

Usually, the local authority will assess your support needs and arrange the payments for your support.

If you move into a Shared Lives home, you will also pay:

• a contribution towards the cost of your home (usually this is paid for by housing benefit) 
• a contribution towards weekly costs such as food and bills.

Our Shared Lives Coordinators can support you to make these arrangements.

If you receive a direct payment, or pay for your own care, you can still receive Shared Lives support.

Please email the Shared Lives Team to find out more about how Shared Lives could support you.

How to become a Shared Lives carer

Are you a caring person? Do you want a job that really makes a difference where you get to work from home? Then you should join Haringey as a as a Shared Lives carer!

The Shared Lives Haringey scheme is always looking to recruit local residents to become Shared Lives carers. Haringey Council is looking for people who are willing to open their homes to adults over 18 with needs, so they can be supported in the community.

Things to know about being a Shared Lives carer

As a Shared Lives carer, you would share your home and support the individual you’re caring for to develop skills (new or existing), and help them work towards their goals and aspirations.

Individuals needing support could spend the day, stay for a short break, or move in. Shared Lives carers could support just one person, or could support up to 3 people – it’s up to you! With the mix of people living in Shared Lives, sharing their days or staying for short breaks, it can be as consistent or varied as suits you as the carer. 

For carers, Shared Lives becomes a way of life. Some call it a vocation, others a job or career – yet everyone learns from the people they support, and is rewarded as they see the differences they are making.

The difference you could make a Shared Lives carer

On the whole, our carers support people to live independent full lives, whatever shape that takes.

That could be taking them out and about on day trips, or you might take an active role in nurturing their skills and talents, like Lorna did when she supported Summa with her passion for anime.

It might even be simply helping them learn to ride the bus and cook for themselves - all achievements are important and celebrated.

The amazing thing about Shared Lives is each arrangement is unique to the carer and the person they support.