Shared Lives Carer

Overview

Do you have the heart to be a Shared Lives carer? Could you share the activities you love doing, your home or family life with an adult who needs additional support to live their best life. We are looking for Shared Lives Carers across the Newcastle upon Tyne area.

The Shared Lives Service matches a person with a Learning Disability with an approved carer. The person and carer share the carer’s home, community and family life. All Shared Lives carers are supported through an assessment process which can take up to 3 months to complete. It includes the application form, vetting checks and references as well as a DBS. The role does require that you have a spare bedroom in your home.

• Long term – where the person would live with you and your family.
• Short Breaks (respite) – where the person would come and stay for the odd night, weekend or week, on a short-term basis.

• supporting with everyday tasks such as getting up or cooking
• teaching them new skills or how to live more independently
• assisting them to do social activities or access their local community

As a Carer, your role will be to encourage the person to become part of the family and create a sense of belonging, while creating a life of new opportunities which the person would otherwise have limited chances to experience.

The aim of the Shared Lives Carer is to support the person where they need it, and to develop practical, social and emotional skills to help them make their own choices and be as independent as possible, while remaining at the heart of the community, just like you and me.

The Shared Lives scheme will provide you with training, support and guidance.

As a Shared Lives Carer you are self-employed and have self-employed status through HMRC and may qualify for Tax relief for each person you support. For more information about the tax relief, see Increase in Qualifying Care Relief -  ().

Long term carers are paid up to £540 per week, with up to 28 days a year of respite availability.

We are holding drop-in sessions once a month where you can meet the team and find out more about Shared Lives. Give us a ring  or email  to find out about Newcastle Shared Lives and the dates of the drop-in sessions.

Use the link below to find out more about Newcastle Shared Lives: