Trafford Council is calling on local people to think about becoming a self-employed Shared Lives Carer as an alternative to a more conventional job.
The work involves sharing your home and your life with one or more adults with disabilities or other vulnerabilities, and earn up to £679 per week, with generous tax allowances.
Previous care experience is not necessary – having “room in your home and space in your heart” is the important criteria – though applicants go through a rigorous approval process and receive full training at no cost.
The borough currently supports more than 20 adults in this way, in households managed by social enterprise PossAbilities, but the Council would like to appoint more. Shared Lives Carers can support people on a long-term basis or provide ad hoc respite or day support.
A carer can support up to three people in their own home at any one time and many have another job too, as most supported adults go out and about during daytime hours, for example to work or volunteering, or to a day centre.
There is no upper age limit and carers can look after their own loved ones simultaneously.
Dawn and Ian Wermeling, of Stretford, have been Shares Lives Carers for five years, supporting three adults. Ian said:
“It’s a great work life balance. We have a lovely home and we’re able to share our lives and get paid for it.”
Helen and Richard Barraclough, of Urmston, are celebrating 23 years as Shared Lives Carers. They live in Urmston and care for three adults. Helen says:
“It’s a fabulous lifestyle. We do everything from home, which is nice, and we have all sorts going on. It is a great way of living.”
Claire Morphet, family-based support manager at PossAbilities said:
“Having worked in adult social care for 38 years, I’ve seen many forms of support. I believe Shared Lives is by far the greatest option as it’s truly person-centred, with people carefully matched to the right household.”
Cllr Jane Slater, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy and Independent Lives, said:
“Becoming a Shared Lives Carer is a great opportunity for the right candidates. This work is rewarding and meaningful as well as offering freedom and flexibility.
“Shared Lives Carers really make a positive difference for people. The right placement can be life changing. We would love for more people to consider this lifestyle and find out more about it.”
To find out more about becoming a Shared Lives Carer, email sharedlives@possabilities.org.uk or call 01706 626747.
Dawn and Ian Wermeling have been Shared Lives Carers in Trafford for five years now. The couple share their seven-bedroom home in Stretford with Pauline, 65, and Brenda, 59, who both have learning disabilities.
They also care for John, 59, for 48 nights of the year, when he is on respite from his father’s home. They also support other adults, when their usual carers are taking time out.
Dawn and Ian both worked with adults with learning disabilities, and as and foster carers for children before becoming Shared Lives Carers. They describe the lifestyle as the opposite of a nine to five job.
Ian explains:
“Pauline and Brenda go to daycare so the hours of about 9am to 4pm are our own. We can have other jobs if we want – I also do some Personal Assistant work in the community. It’s a great work life balance. We have a lovely home and we’re able to share our lives and get paid for it.”
Pauline says: “I like it here. I like everything.” John adds: “I like doing anything we do, really.”
Dawn says: “We’re busy in the evening and at weekend, going places and doing things together. At home we watch films, play games and do puzzles and quizzes.
“We have nice dinners around the table in the evening and we have two sitting rooms, so that people can do different things. We all live together as a family. It’s a great concept, it really suits us all.”
Trips out in the family seven-seater ‘bus’, named Daisy by Pauline, include going to country parks, the theatre, cycling groups, local restaurants, shopping, discos and to see live music. Recently the family went to see an Abba tribute band.
Under the Shared Lives scheme, Dawn and Ian are entitled to 28 nights’ respite each year, as their annual holidays away from caring duties.
Helen and Richard Barraclough are celebrating 23 years as shared lives carers. They live in Urmston with Richard, Michael and Kelroy, who have learning disabilities. Kelory was the first to join the household 23 years ago. Michael followed 18 years ago and Richard five years ago.
Helen says:
“It’s a fabulous lifestyle, it’s not like going to a more ordinary job. We do everything from home, which is nice, and we have all sorts going on. It is a great way of living.”
Helen used to be a taxi driver in Salford, taking customers with learning disabilities around the city. Richard is a retired teacher who was in charge of teaching foundation lifeskills at North Trafford College. Through his work he met other people who cared for people in their own homes and the couple decided to give it a try.
Richard, Michael and Kelroy keep busy at day centres and clubs and Richard goes out and about independently on buses to see family and friends.
Helen and Richard are careful to provide as much choice as possible for each of the men they care for. Sometimes they do things separately and sometimes they all go out together for meals and trips out.
Past holidays together have included cruises. They are now planning a visit to the Normandy beaches after Richard first showed an interest in going to France, and a holiday in Jamaica to explore Kelroy’s heritage.
Richard says: “The real difference for our service users is the continuity of care we can give. It’s not like working with different people on a rota. Lockdown for us was a good time – we could take our time over things, drawing and baking and writing letters. We wouldn’t want to do any other kind of job.”