There is no doubt that leaders in councils want to see Shared Lives grow. In a survey by Association of Directors of Adult Social Care: 

‘Nine in ten (90%) of Directors indicated that increased provision would have some or a significant impact on outcomes for people, whilst 87% are of the opinion that greater availability of Shared Lives would reduce or significantly reduce adult social care expenditure.'

The flexibility of the model means criteria for referring to Shared Lives is less about a particular eligibility, and more to do with the skills, experience and vacancy of local Shared Lives carers.

Even though the model has lots of supporters, Shared Lives hasn't always received the investment it requires to grow to its undoubted potential. Why is this? Well, when services are small, they often struggle for attention at the decision-making table. But more importantly, Shared Lives, despite its obvious strengths (it's the highest quality of care according to CQC and can save councils between £12,000 to £26,000 per person, per year for people with a learning disability) can be tricky to grow. 

This situation is changing however, with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) last year launching the Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) which has placed Shared Lives firmly on many Council's agendas again (over half - 27 out of 42 of all Integrated Care Systems (ICBs) choosing to prioritise the growth of Shared Lives utilising this fund). The DHSC even said it ‘enshrines the ‘home first' principles that enable people to live independently for longer.'

Shared Lives offers a unique type of care and support; flexible, based in a Shared Lives carers home, and built on shared interests and mutual agreements between that carer and a person who draws on care. It is increasingly seen as an option that can no longer be considered as a ‘nice to have'.

Shared Lives currently mainly supports people with a learning disability, although it is increasingly offered to support for example people living with dementia, mental ill health, and for young people leaving care.   

The flexibility of the model means criteria for referring to Shared Lives is less about a particular eligibility, and more to do with the skills, experience and vacancy of local Shared Lives carers.

This is being seen in South Yorkshire, where councils have come together across the ICB, and supported by Shared Lives Plus are utilising the DHSC ARF to grow awareness of the potential of Shared Lives.  The project is shaping an ambitious offer working with local health, and voluntary and community sector partners to support young people leaving care, people living with dementia, and people with mental ill health. 

In Suffolk and Norfolk, the Shared Lives scheme runs quarterly virtual sessions, inviting all council colleagues, or people interested in becoming Shared Lives carers, to find out about Shared Lives.  People with lived experience (a carer, a supported person and a scheme worker) lead and attend the sessions, which are advertised across various platforms. The scheme has successfully collaborated with commissioners to agree a pathway that identifies children in care from the age of 16 who could benefit from Shared Lives. 50% of new Shared Lives arrangements are care leavers and they have increased the numbers by 37% in 2 years.

Despite the interest to grow, Shared Lives still only represents around 1% of care and support provided. 

Partners for Care and Health (PCH) (a partnership between the LGA and ADASS) have recognised this potential and commissioned Shared Lives Plus (the only dedicated Shared Lives membership and support organisation) to produce key guidance for commissioners, social work practitioners and decision makers on developing and growing Shared Lives.

Distilled down to six foundational building blocks, this guidance outlines the common features and actions that councils and schemes can follow to help establish or grow Shared Lives, particularly for people with a learning disability, however the guidance can be applied to growth in other areas. 

Shared Lives in Bolton is an example of targeting many of these foundational areas. The council set itself a strategic focus on embedding Shared Lives as an option for young people moving on from fostering into Shared Lives; many with their foster carer transitioning to becoming a Shared Lives carer. 

The scheme, transitions, and fostering teams developed clear pathway guidance on young people moving from children's services into Shared Lives. This guidance highlights the responsibility of children's and adult's services to ensure young people who require support post 18, receive person-centred and outcomes focused support.

Similarly in Kent, the local scheme has strategically developed the awareness, understanding and skills of social work teams, including transition teams, through relationship building, training, newsletters and embedding into decision-making forums. 

Growing the number of Shared Lives carers is fast becoming a key focus for most councils across the country, either to increase the number of carers whether that be for long term, day or short breaks support, or expand on the diversity of their skills and experience. In Westmorland and Furness, the Shared Lives scheme dedicated a healthy proportion of their ARF funding to develop and roll out a targeted recruitment strategy and campaign in partnership with their council communications team which aimed at attracting carers to provide occasional (day and short breaks) support.  In a short period, the scheme  recruited nine new carers and have 13 ongoing applications for occasional support, with  a particular interest to support people living with dementia. 

These examples show the impact that prioritisation and investment in Shared Lives can lead to. This PCH guidance lands at a crucial time, as we launch into the new fiscal year, with annual priorities and plans forming at a local level.  

With the pressures and pitfalls facing social care looking set to continue, now more than ever, is the time to invest and prioritise the growth of an option such as Shared Lives, with its features clearly framing the future of how adult social care should be moving towards. 

A future which centres support around the person, families and is based in the heart of communities. 

Suzi Clark is head of strategic advice at Shared Lives Plus