Shared Lives client Shane Jarvis, Shared Lives carer Faye Downes, Head of Service and Registered Manager for Shared Lives at Camphill Village Trust Kate Morgan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults Councillor Linda Leach, and Commissioning Officer Shen Campbell.
Camphill Village Trust has been awarded the contract to continue delivering the Shared Lives service on behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council.
Shared Lives is a unique form of social care for adults and young people aged 16 and over needing care and support. Individuals are carefully matched with trained Shared Lives carers who welcome them into their own homes, providing personalised support that promotes independence, wellbeing and inclusion, and supporting them to develop meaningful relationships.
The service supports care leavers and young people moving into adult services, older adults, people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and physical or sensory impairments.
The new contract was awarded following a competitive tender process and will run for an initial two-year period until 30 June 2028, with the option to extend for up to a further two years, subject to performance and agreement.
Councillor Linda Leach, Cabinet Member for Adults, said: “Shared Lives enables people to maximise their independence, access community opportunities, and live as ordinary and fulfilling a life as possible.
“For many people, Shared Lives provides a stable, long-term home environment where they become an extended part of a Shared Lives family, like fostering. But the service can also provide flexible support through short breaks, day support, evening support and emergency arrangements as required.
“We want to be able to support more people through Shared Lives and maximise the potential of this highly successful model, and this new contract includes plans to significantly increase the number of people benefiting from the service over the coming years.”
Key priorities include creating new referral pathways, recruiting more Shared Lives carers, and raising awareness of Shared Lives across health, social care, and community services so it becomes a routinely considered option for people requiring support.
Councillor Leach added: “The new Shared Lives contract will help grow a high-quality, personalised and affordable care service. It will make the service easier to use, provide support for more people and, most importantly, improve outcomes.”
Shared Lives Head of Service Kate Morgan said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council. We look forward to working closely with colleagues across commissioning and adult social care to further raise awareness of Shared Lives and ensure it becomes an even more established and valued part of the city’s support offer for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health support needs.
“We have already achieved so much, helping people to live fulfilling lives through the warmth, belonging and independence that Shared Lives can provide, but there is still so much more we want to accomplish. We look forward to creating new opportunities to recruit and support more Shared Lives carers – people who want to open up their homes, offer support as part of their family life, and make a real and lasting difference to someone’s future.”
