Diversifying Shared Lives
Adults with a learning disability are the largest group drawing on Shared Lives., However there is an increasing diversity in how Shared Lives can provide support in other areas for:
- People with mental ill health
- People living with dementia
- Young care experienced people
- Crisis prevention and hospital step-down
- Unpaid carer breaks
- Parents with a learning disability
Diversifying Shared Lives involves a range of considerations that our team can help you navigate.
- Define your vision and approach
- Develop pathways and partnerships
- Attract and upskills your carers
“The support we have had from Shared Lives Plus has been second to none. It enabled us to work at pace and to implement good practice from other areas. The passion that these colleagues have for Shared Lives is evident through all interactions with them.”
Define your vision and approach
We will help you develop a clear strategic vision and implementation plan for diversifying your Shared Lives offer.
Develop pathways and partnerships
We will help you strengthen partnership working across teams and the wider local system, developing new processes and pathways into Shared Lives.
Attract and upskill your carers
We will help you design targeted recruitment activities to attract and support Shared Lives carers aligned with your diversification ambitions.
Strategic spotlight: Portsmouth
Shared Lives Plus worked with Portsmouth to grow and diversify its Shared Lives offer, with a particular focus on supporting young people transitioning from children’s services into adulthood.
Through the Accelerating Reform Fund, the project strengthened collaboration between children’s and adult services, creating new pathways into Shared Lives and improving joined up working across teams.
This targeted support helped raise awareness of Shared Lives as a positive option for care leavers, while building stronger relationships between practitioners and services.
As a result, Portsmouth is developing a more inclusive, joined-up model of support – positioning Shared Lives as a key pathway for young people moving into adult life.
Read the full strategic spotlight.
To discuss how we could support your area, contact our Strategic Advice team at consultancy@sharedlivesplus.org.uk or find out more about how our support can have impact.
Still getting things set up?
We can help you get started. Establishing Shared Lives
Want to focus on expanding your current offering?
We can help you do more. Growing Shared Lives
