Shared Lives Scheme
Shared Lives is a care and support service for people aged 16+ who want to live independently in their community, with the support of a family and community network. It’s an alternative to supported living or residential care. The care is based on matching people with shared interests, lifestyles and sense of humour. It’s a bit like fostering – for adults. It feels like an ordinary life for someone who needs support. The scheme can support adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems or other needs that make it harder for them to live on their own. The scheme will match someone who needs care with an approved carer.
Shetland Community Connections will conduct the feasibility study to research how this scheme can work best in Shetland and which people it will work best for.
Shetland Community Connections is the perfect organisation to take this forward as our vision is “to ensure that a person has the freedom to be ordinary”. In other words, ordinary everyday activities such as shopping, working, visiting a café or joining a club should be possible for everyone in a community. What could be more ordinary than building a relationship with another person or family and going to stay with them whilst your usual carers take a break?
Catriona Waddington, the chairperson of SCC said:
“We are looking at implementing a scheme that can be used across all communities within Shetland and we hope this type of scheme will build on Shetland’s strengths of having kind and strong communities. We will shortly be recruiting a manager who can take this scheme forward for Shetland – so look out for our advert”
Throughout the feasibility and implementation of the scheme we will be working closely with the National Shared Lives scheme.
Ben Hall from Shared Lives Plus says:
“This is brilliant news at a time when so many families are struggling. It is a real statement of trust in local people to support others. This new service will allow people needing some extra support the opportunity to have that provided in a loving, family setting, giving them with more choice and more control over their lives. “