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If you have any questions about what you read or want further information about Shared Lives, you are welcome to contact us:

Address: Essex Shared Lives
County Council
E2 Zone 1, County Hall
Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1QH
Phone number: 03330 138 071
Email: Essex.SharedLives@essex.gov.uk

About Essex Shared Lives

The Shared Lives scheme provides a unique form of support in the community, based within the homes of people specifically recruited and trained for this purpose. Shared Lives has been available and funded by Essex County Council since 2007, but it was only in 2021 that the service was integrated to Essex County Council, becoming Essex Shared Lives.

The scheme supports people over the age of 18 with a wide range of support needs in ways that help them move towards independence, not dependence. By living or being part of the approved Shared Lives Host’s family circle, people can be part of each other’s lives and enjoy activities together.

It can be long term support and accommodation where the person moves in with the Shared Lives Host for as many months or years as appropriate, or short breaks to give family hosts respite from their supporting responsibilities or the person visits the home of the Shared Lives Host for several hours during the day to take part in activities of their choice.

The Essex Shared Lives scheme will provide people with care and support needs the opportunity to be part of the family and community life of a Shared Lives Host. Our service aims to ensure that people using Shared Lives are:

• treated as part of the Shared Lives Host’s family or household
• supported to be part of their local community
• supported to learn and use new skills
• do as much as they can for themselves
• are treated equally, with consideration and respect, so they have privacy in their home and life
• supported to make their own choices and decisions so they can lead the kind of life they want and achieve the things that are important to them.

The registered manager meets all requirements of the Health and Social Care Act (2008) (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 7. Essex Shared Lives have a staff team responsible for all aspects of the management and delivery of Shared Lives to eligible people in Essex including:

  • The assessment and approval of Shared Lives Hosts
  • Management of referrals into the scheme
  • Establishing Shared Lives arrangements
  • Support and monitoring of Shared Lives arrangements in Essex
  • Support to Shared Lives carers
  • The ongoing training of Shared Lives carers

Essex Shared Lives is committed to deliver highly effective, safe, caring, well-led and responsive care and support to people using Shared Lives. We are also committed to ensuring the safe and effective assessment, recruitment and support of our Shared Lives Hosts.

All people have the same human rights. However, the Essex Shared Lives scheme recognises that some individuals and groups can sometimes be discriminated against, for example, on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, HIV/AIDs, marital status, or age.  We are committed to working in ways that value diversity and promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.

Definitions of Equality and Diversity are:

  • Equality is a legal framework to protect against discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people with 'protected characteristics'.
  • Diversity is the valuing of our individual differences and talents, creating a culture where everyone can participate, thrive and contribute.
  • Diversity is multi-dimensional and includes, race, disability, class, economic status, age, gender and transgender, sexuality, faith and belief.

CQC Rating

The Essex Shared Lives scheme was last inspected on 10 June 2022 by CQC. The result of this inspection was a 'requires improvement' rating. Further information about the inspection.

Last updated: 19/03/2024
Next How to become a Shared Lives Host