This is not a Bristol City Council post but Bristol Shared Lives is a Bristol City Council run service.

Self-employed Shared Lives Carers.

Could you share your home and life with someone to support them to live as independently as possible and do the things that matter to them?

Location – Work From Home (within the city boundary) and accessing the community.

Types of support – Long-term placement, Respite/Short Breaks, possible day support.

Requirements:

Living in Bristol City boundary.

If offering long-term or Short Breaks, you will need a spare bedroom(s). There is no requirement for a spare bedroom if offering day support.

Willingness to provide care, support and supervision to a vulnerable adult and to share interests, activities and daily life with the person you support.

Care experience (paid or unpaid) preferable but most importantly a willingness to participate in the assessment and approval process to become a carer. This includes skills and knowledge in supporting and empower a vulnerable adult to be able to live safely and participate as fully as possible in everyday life.

Willingness to participate in relevant training for the role.

Fees

Care & Support payment from Adult Social Care (for long-term and respite, hourly rate for day support).

Rent and contribution to food and utilities from person living with you (for long-term placements).

Total Placement fees paid to carers are between approx. £600 and £900 per week for long-term placements; £78 - £121 per 24 hours for Short Breaks; £16 per hour for Day Support.

Other Benefits

Tax relief on placement fees as a self-employed carer working from home.

28 nights paid respite (long-term placements).

Ongoing Training – in-person and e-learning (support provided with access).

Support – from Shared Lives Team – office hours and regular Home Visits for Support & Monitoring.

Annual Membership of Shared Lives Plus – including Public Liability Insurance, carer support and advice service, contact with a national network of Shared Lives Carers.

Flexible hours – requirement for overnight support and variable support times during daytime and weekends depending on needs of person and other services or activities they use.

Short break carers can commit to either flexible availability (one night, weekends or up to 14 nights at a time) on a regular pattern or on a more ad hoc basis depending on your lifestyle and other commitments.

Day support carers can offer support for a few hours a week over one or more sessions dependent on the carer’s availability and the supported person’s needs.

We value having carers as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote applications from people from all sections of the community.

What is Shared Lives?

Shared Lives is for adults who need some additional support to be safe and who would benefit from living in a home environment, or spending short breaks, or receiving day support in a carer’s home. People will have had a Care Act Assessment and be identified as eligible for care and support. Carers can be a single person, a couple, or a part of a family, including having dependent children. The application and assessment process will ensure the carer has the skills, knowledge, and ability to meet a person’s needs and the matching process for any arrangement will ensure both parties are compatible alongside any other commitments the carer may have.

Long-term and short break carers provide a room in their home, and the person will live alongside the carer and any other household members sharing mealtimes, activities, and interests. The amount of care and support offered varies depending on the needs of the person and where possible the aim is for the carer to support them to be as independent as they are able to be.

A long-term carer will not be responsible for providing support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People living in a Shared Lives placement will participate in activities away form home during the day for several days a week, this could include employment, voluntary work, day services or other support to access activities in the community.

Carers and supported people wanting to live in a Shared Lives placement are carefully matched to ensure the arrangement works for both parties. This includes how much support a person needs and how much time their carer needs to be available to provide support. There is always a requirement for overnight supervision from a carer but not an expectation to be providing any regular care during the night.

For more information about becoming a Shared Lives Carer please click on the following links: www.bristol.gov.uk/sharedlives and/or contact Shared Lives: sharedlives@bristol.gov.uk or 0117 352 5488.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and will require an Enhanced DBS check before approval can be confirmed.

Confidentiality: Carers are expected to maintain the required level of confidentiality at all times in relation to their role.