Earlier this month, the City of Wolverhampton Council announced that Camphill Village Trust had been awarded a new contract to continue delivering Shared Lives across the city for the next 2 to 4 years.

Shared Lives supports adults and young people aged 16 and over who need care and support by carefully matching them with trained carers who welcome them into their homes and family life.

The service can provide long term living arrangements, short breaks, day support and other flexible care options, and is open to care leavers and young people moving into adult services, older adults, and people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, or physical or sensory impairments.

Kate Morgan, Head of Service and Registered Manager for Shared Lives at Camphill Village Trust, said the service offers people the opportunity to receive highly personalised support while becoming part of a family and community.

She said: "Shared Lives is similar to foster care but we work with adults, supporting them to live as part of a family, either on a long term basis, where somebody is matched and moves in with a Shared Lives carer, or for short breaks, which gives them the opportunity of enjoying respite with a family.

"With Shared Lives, the individual is matched with their Shared Lives carer, which means that the carer and the person get to know each other really well. They get to know their skills, their interests, their hobbies, their likes, and their dislikes, just like normal families, and people really thrive having that one to one personalised support.

"We have been recommissioned to provide Shared Lives and we are really happy to be working in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council to continue to build up the service, and to make it even bigger and better."

Among those welcoming the recommissioning is Shared Lives carer Faye Downes, who has supported people through fostering and, more recently, Shared Lives for more than 2 decades.

Faye and her husband Mick first fostered Shane Jarvis when he was 10 years old and, through Shared Lives, continue to support him as an adult.

Faye said: "Moving into Shared Lives was a natural step for us. Shane had already become part of our family and has fitted in from day one.

"We've loved having him with us and watching him grow into the young man he is today. Seeing the progress he has made over the years makes us incredibly proud."

Shane welcomed the continuation of the service and reflected on the positive impact it has had on his life. He said: "Since living with Faye and Mick, my life has been really good.

"Shared Lives helps people who might find it difficult to manage on their own. Having that support means I can take part in activities, look at future job opportunities and do more things independently."

Faye added: "Shane has a learning disability, so we support him with day to day life and help him access activities and opportunities that interest him. We've had a lot of support from the council as well, helping him explore different roles and build confidence for the future.

"Shared Lives gives people the chance to be part of a family while still receiving the support they need, and that's what makes it so special."

Councillor Linda Leach, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "Shared Lives is a fantastic and unique way of supporting people who need care and support.

"It gives people the opportunity to become part of a family environment while receiving personalised support that meets their individual needs, whether that's through long term arrangements, short breaks or day visits. I am delighted that this service will continue to benefit Wolverhampton residents."

The council and Camphill Village Trust hope to expand the service over the coming years by recruiting more Shared Lives carers and increasing awareness of the support available.