SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Kent County Council (KCC) is on the lookout for caring people to apply for its Kent Shared Lives service and help those in need of support and a place to live.

You’ve probably heard of fostering but do you know about Shared Lives?

The scheme is also to suppose those with learning and physical disabilities.

Registered with the Care Quality Commission, Kent Shared Lives is run by KCC and is a personalised service for eligible people over the age of 16 who need a place to live (long term) or even simply somewhere to stay for a night, weekend, week or longer (short break).

Those same eligible people can also just use the Shared Lives Day Support service.

A recruitment initiative is underway to find more hosts that are able to offer Long Term and Short Breaks from their homes and give more people the chance to live a ‘real life’.

Shared Lives Hosts can open their homes to those people - following a thorough assessment - and offer them the personalised service which is a real alternative to the more traditional residential type settings.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN BECOMING A KENT SHARED LIVES HOST

People with a wide range of support needs can use the service if their care manager or social worker makes a referral including people with learning and physical disabilities, mental health conditions, are on the autistic spectrum, older people or people living with a sensory impairment or dementia.

Around 12,000 people have joined Shared Lives across the UK and are accessing the service in one form or another.

Kent Shared Lives is growing its service despite currently standing at over 185 hosts around the county (excluding Medway).

Benefits of being a Host

• A flexible, interesting job with a fantastic work life balance
• Great opportunities for skills development, being self-employed with support from the Shared Lives Team
• Financial reward
• Rewarding

Almost anyone can be a host including single people, couples and families from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures. Kent Shared Lives are looking for people with:

• Sensitivity and warmth
• A sense of humour
• An interest in helping and supporting adults
• Time to spare
• A spare bedroom
• Care work experience is beneficial however care experience could be personal. Equally, Kent Shared Lives are happy to help find some voluntary work and offer training if someone feels they would make a good Host.

As you would expect if it were your friend or relative using a service, there is a thorough assessment process to ensure Shared Lives remains the safest form of care.

An application form is submitted by the potential host and an initial visit is arranged at the host’s home.

Following this visit and if both parties agree, an assessment begins which takes around 8 to 10 visits by a qualified professional from Kent Shared Lives.

The assessment includes taking a personal history, assessing skills and knowledge as well as multiple checks including enhanced police checks (Disclosure and Barring Service), health and safety.

A report is written and submitted to a panel before the Host is then approved.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN BECOMING A KENT SHARED LIVES HOST

Matching

Once approved the Host receives full support from a named worker within the Shared Lives team and ongoing training and development is provided.

As an approved host, they will then have a vacancy for whatever service it is they want to offer - Long Term, Short Breaks or Day Support. This vacancy is advertised internally within KCC to all relevant departments.

If a Care Manager or Social Worker thinks Shared Lives might be a good service for someone, then they can send Kent Shared Lives a referral, with information about the person.

Shared Lives will, in turn, see if they have a host with a vacancy that will potentially match.

If it looks like a potential match could work a visit is arranged, usually at the host’s home, and feedback is sought from all parties. If all parties pass the necessary criteria, then the matching process will commence and progress at a pace that suits everyone before the placement begins.

If you think you have what it takes and would like to find out more about Shared Lives then click here or call 03000 412400.

If you or your friend or relative are interested in using Shared Lives, please speak to your Care Manager or Social Worker to see if they think it may be suitable and make a referral.