A special ‘drop in’ Open Event at The Kindle Centre, Belmont Rd (next to Asda) on Wednesday 17 June from 1pm to 5pm will give people interested in becoming a Shared Lives carer, and welcoming another person into their home, the chance to meet Shared Lives carers, and the adults they support.

It’s part of the national Shared Lives Week, which shines a spotlight on how the scheme transforms the lives of adults with support needs. Shared Lives carers look after people in a number of ways: long term arrangements, shared days, and short breaks (eg respite for a family carer or recovery after discharge from hospital). More than 100 people in Herefordshire - both individuals and couples - have joined the scheme as Shared Lives Carers since 2022 alone.

A recruitment drive is underway in the county to find more carers. As well as making difference to people’s lives, Shared Lives carers receive around £600 per week for each adult supported and enjoy a flexible way of life and earning - often combining it with their existing full or part-time job or spending more time with children and wider families or on their hobbies and leisure activities.  They also enjoy tax benefits. As a self-employed carer, using your home as a base gives you tax exemption.

Cllr Carole Gandy, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing said:

“Shared Lives really is a unique opportunity to enhance someone else’s and your own life, and make an amazing difference to a local person. You don’t need to own your home or have any experience of looking after children or adults as a parent, carer or professional. I really would urge people to drop in and chat to other carers and the adults they support and discover what an amazingly rewarding way of life it is.”

Shared Lives Carers are carefully matched with people after undergoing a comprehensive free in-depth training and assessment period, usually over three to six months. They get ongoing support from a dedicated Shared Lives coordinator, and the Shared Lives carer network.

People supported by Shared Lives carers typically include those with learning disabilities, care leavers, people with mental health needs or dementia. Support can be long term or short-term, to give family carers a break. Shared Lives is proven to improve people’s lives in an alternative, family-based setting to traditional care environments. Shared Lives carers help people to:

• Build independence
• Learn daily living skills
• Stay connected to their community
• Enjoy stable, long-term relationships
• Live or stay in a safe, supportive home environment

Find out more on our Shared Lives web pages.