Skip to main content
News

Between 18 November and 8 December, WeCare Wales are shining a light on home care and reablement services.

Learn more here

Shared Lives

Shared Lives is also known as Adult Placement services. It offers stability and security for people to live their best life. But what does it involve, and who does it help? This page gives a clear introduction to Shared Lives services in Wales. We also have advice for anyone looking to become a Shared Life carer.

Janet, shared lives carer with Gareth & Medwyn

About Shared Lives

Shared Lives is for people aged 18+ who want to live independently, with the added support of a family and community network. It is an alternative to supported living or residential care and support takes place in a supportive family home.

Shared Lives carers work in their own homes and communities, choosing when and how much they work. The support carers provide could be a day a week, a few days at a time or long-term, live-in care and support (or anything in between). They are carefully matched with a person who is seeking the opportunity of Shared Living. Shared interests, lifestyles and sense of humour are just some of things that are considered to ensure the right match.

Shared Lives carers share family life with a person who needs support to live well and get to see first-hand the amazing difference a Shared Life can have. Gaining independence, learning new skills and experiencing a sense of belonging as an active member of their community really helps people grow in confidence and wellbeing.

Who is supported by Shared Lives?

Shared Lives provide support to people with:

  • learning disabilities
  • physical disabilities
  • living with dementia
  • mental ill-health
  • people needing to leave hospital
  • young people in transition from foster care
  • older people
  • parent and baby placements for new parents with learning disabilities.

Want to become a Shared Life carer?

You’ll need commitment and the desire to help someone get the most out of life. You’ll see the amazing difference and watch a person grow in confidence, gain more independence, learn new skills and experience a sense of belonging.

Steps in becoming a Share life carer

When applying to become a Shared Life Carer you will go through an approval process. Once approved Shared Lives carers are trained and can become members of Shared Lives Plus which provides support and guidance in addition to the support of their local scheme.

A Shared Lives carer is carefully matched with the person who is seeking the opportunity of Shared Living. Shared interests, lifestyles and sense of humour are just some of things that are considered to ensure the right match.

Find your local Shared Lives Service in Wales

Find your local Shared Lives service in Wales.

Some of these resources are available in English only. We’re not responsible for resources produced by other organisations.

Gwynedd Shared Lives believe that people should be able to lead the lives that they want, whilst they receive the support that they require in the home of their choice.

PSS people (Conwy, Denbighshire and Wrexham) come from all different walks of life, and it’s this mix of brilliant personalities, experiences and insight that gives us that warm, open and friendly culture you can feel as soon as you meet us.

We want people to be as independent as possible. People using the service decide what outcomes they want in life.

Carers come from every walk of life, their common bond is the time to care and the room to share. Our carers can help people to turn their lives around, gain confidence, self-worth, and the skills to be independent.

Within Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Cardiff. Ategi has been supporting and empowering people through our services to achieve positive changes in their lives for nearly 30 years.

You don’t need any qualifications or experience of working in the care sector (though it can help). All you need is the right values, dedication and of course a spare room. We welcome applications from individuals or couples

We offer placements in the six local authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen. The service is flexible and supports a wide range of people to live more independent lives, to develop their involvement in the local community, to learn new skills and have new experiences.

Explore some of roles within the shared lives service