About us at Hounslow

We’d love you to join us at the London Borough of Hounslow! Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be.

We are an outstanding council, serving an outstanding borough. With brilliant, visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet and a can-do culture, we’ve built strong partnerships which have transformed how we serve one of London’s most diverse boroughs. Hounslow is the world in one place and full of potential. We are stepping up for our residents like never before

About our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix and Be a Rock. All our work has equality, diversity and inclusion at its very heart, best articulated in “Harness the Mix”. It's about breaking down barriers between our parts and people and unlocking the problem-solving power of our amazing mix of minds. We serve a diverse community, we have a diverse workforce and we are committed to being an inclusive employer.

We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership community, we have thriving employee network groups and our learning and development programmes help us lead, model and breathe ways of working that eliminate inequality, inequity, injustice and bias.

As part of this and under our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates. There’s space for you to tell us what you need within our application form.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Shared Lives Team as a Shared Lives Carer. In this role, you’ll be providing care, support, and accommodation within your own home to adults who need support to live independently and be part of their local community.

Shared Lives Carers work in partnership with the London Borough of Hounslow but are self-employed rather than council employees.

You’ll receive guidance, training, and ongoing support from the Shared Lives Team while maintaining the flexibility and independence that comes with being self-employed.

You’ll work closely with the Shared Lives Team and other professionals to offer person-centred support tailored to each individual’s needs, promoting independence, wellbeing, and meaningful relationships. As a Shared Lives Carer, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your skills through training, ongoing support, and experience in delivering high-quality care in a rewarding and flexible way.

About The Team You’ll Be Working In

The Shared Lives Team is dedicated to supporting adults to live fulfilling, independent lives within their local community. The team works to carefully match individuals with approved Shared Lives Carers, ensuring placements are safe, supportive, and centred around each person’s needs, strengths, and preferences.

Our work has a positive and lasting impact on residents by providing an alternative to traditional care settings, helping people to build confidence, develop life skills, and form meaningful relationships in a family-based environment.

As a Shared Lives Carer, you’ll work in partnership with a friendly and experienced team that includes Shared Lives Coordinator, Social Workers and Team Managers. While you won’t be an employee of the council, you’ll be allocated a dedicated Shared Lives Officer who will be your main point of contact and who will provide regular support, guidance, and reviews to ensure both you and the person you support are well supported.

About You

Becoming a Shared Lives Carer and be able to be

• Motivated by helping others and supporting people to live independently with patience and care.

• Able to provide a safe, welcoming home with a spare bedroom for someone needing support.

• Communicates effectively and builds positive, respectful relationships.

• Reliable, organised, and able to manage responsibilities with guidance and support.

• Willing to take part in an assessment process, attend training, and follow Shared Lives policies and procedures.

• Comfortable working in partnership with professionals and following agreed support plans.

As a Shared Lives Carer, you’ll be paid for the support you provide and your payment will be from £400 to £500 per week, plus rent and food / utilities payments.

If you’re interested in applying, please complete our enquiry form using the link below:

Submit a Shared Lives carer enquiry - Guidance - My Hounslow

When Interviews Will Be Held And Who To Contact

have any further questions about the role, please contact:

Email: Andy.Harvey@hounslow.gov.uk or Cristel.Sainz@hounslow.gov.uk

Telephone: 07812 071512 or 07816 068199

Website: Shared Lives | London Borough of Hounslow

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you make a real difference through Shared Lives.

Please note: This is a rolling advert, and there is no fixed interview date. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Suitable applicants will be contacted for an initial informal discussion to explore their interest and suitability for the Shared Lives programme, followed by a full assessment process where appropriate.

We would like it to make clear that Shared Lives Carers are self-employed and work in partnership with the London Borough of Hounslow and they are not employees of the Council.