A woman with her Shared Lives carer and a dog on her lap

Shared Lives care may include:

  • Long term accommodation and support
  • Short breaks
  • Daytime support
  • Rehabilitative or intermediate support
  • Kinship support where the carer acts as ‘extended family’ to someone living in their own home and where both the homes of the people using the service and the Shared Lives carers are available for contact

What difference does it make?

People who use Shared Lives may choose to do so for different reasons. Some people may have previously lived independently but found it wasn’t right for them; others may have always lived with their own family, making a family setting ideal.

After a period of getting to know each other, the person supported and their Shared Lives carer start to spend an agreed amount of time together. This can mean that the individual becomes a regular daytime or overnight visitor to the Shared Lives carer’s household, or that they live with the Shared Lives carer and their family. Shared Lives carers often say that the people they care for are just “one of the family”.


How MacIntyre is involved

Shared Lives carers are recruited, vetted, trained and supported by an experienced MacIntyre manager. MacIntyre is registered with the government’s care regulator, the Care Quality Commission.

Our Shared Lives carers go through an induction and initial training to ensure they have the skills needed to support people with their individual needs. Carers have access to the same training and resources as Support Workers employed by MacIntyre, including specialist areas such as dementia, safeguarding and positive behaviour support.

The Shared Lives Manager also provides support on a regular and as-needed basis to make sure the arrangement is safe and enjoyable for both the carer and the person supported.


Pay and Rewards

Shared Lives carers are paid in a similar way to foster carers in that they are self-employed and are not taxed on their earnings. They are not paid by the hour and there is no “clocking on and clocking off”. In Shared Lives, everyone gets to contribute to real relationships and the goal is ordinary family life.



Shared Lives in Warrington

MacIntyre currently supports Shared Lives carers in Warrington with specific focus on people with learning disabilities. Please use contact details listed below to ask any specific questions about Shared Lives in Warrington.

Warrington

Mark Gallagher

01925 234443

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Become a Shared Lives Carer

Carers come from all family types and all walks of life – single people, couples, families with children. We match people who suit each other’s circumstances. We are looking for positive people who want to share their home and family with someone else.

We provide you with full training and a support network, so you don’t need any experience.

Meet the carers

I love my job and I love having Danny here. I think he's a smashing lad.

Graham
MacIntyre Shared Lives Carer