Date published: February 8, 2021
Shared Lives Plus brings new family peer support to the UK
Shared Lives Plus, the UK charity for shared living is bringing a new model of family peer support to the UK through a pilot project in Stoke-on-Trent.
Family by Family was started in Australia, founded by TACSI, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation. It connects Sharing Families– a family that has been through tough times and come out the other side – with Seeking Families – families who are going through tough times and want to make change in their lives.
The pilot aims to show that Family by Family can support families in the UK and enable families to get through tough times, reducing referrals to statutory services.
We are now working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Department for Education Stoke-on-Trent Opportunity Area and the Australian creators of the model, TACSI to bring the early support model to UK councils.
We are looking for referrals in Stoke-on-Trent from Children’s services, schools, health workers, local community services, and the voluntary sector supporting children to identify parents who could do with some support, especially during Covid.
We hope to support 12 families through this pioneering project, which will establish local, national and international partnerships and show that Family by Family could be used by many more councils across the UK.
If you would like to know more about starting Family by Family in your area, or to make a referral, please contact Ali Miller, alison@sharedlivesplus.org.uk.
