If you are over 16 and need care and support at home, you may be matched with a carer from our Shared Lives scheme. 

A Shared Lives carer shares their own home and family life with someone who needs support. It's a little like fostering but for adults.

There are many opportunities for Shared Lives carers and people using the scheme to meet and get to know each other before any placement goes ahead.

Shared Lives is for people who:

• have a learning disability
• have mental health concerns
• have a physical disability
• are an older person who needs care and support
• have dementia have complex needs

People are referred to the scheme by their social care worker.

About Shared Lives carers

Our Shared Lives team recruit all carers and provide support and training. We monitor all placements. 

Carers are self-employed and paid for the service they provide, as well as household costs and rent.

The scheme always welcomes interest from potential new Shared Lives carers.

Watch our Shared Lives animation for more information on the service, or visit the national Shared Lives Plus charity website.

Our Shared Lives scheme Care Quality Commission report

The Care Quality Commission, which are the independent regulator of health and social care in England, praised our scheme, awarding the service "good" in all of the five following areas:

• safe
• effective
• caring
• responsive
• well-led

You can read the report on Care Quality Commission website (published September 2024).

Contact us

For more information, email shared.lives@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or call 01202 096 655.