Care Worker – Live-In

Share your home, Share your life.

This is a great opportunity to work from your own home and provide person centred care to a person/people with care and support needs.

Who are we?

Shared Lives South West is an award-winning charity that delivers long term and short break care services throughout Devon. It provides person centred care and support and are an alternative to supported living and residential care.

Established in 2004, we are a highly regarded care provider, rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.

It specialises in supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health problems, dementia and older people, Home from Hospital and Parent and Child services.

People who use our services live or have a break in the home of one of our approved carers. It’s similar to adult fostering, but offers so much more to the individual being supported.

SLSW Carers encourage the person to not only become part of the family and provide stability, but also to create a life of new opportunities.

The aim of the Shared Lives Carer is to support the person to develop the practical, social and emotional skills to make their own choices in life and be as independent as possible, whilst being part of the local community.

Currently we have around 300 carers and 500 people presently being supported by our services.

What we offer:

Once approved we offer an on-going training package to enhance your skills further and to assist you in your role.

You will have a dedicated SLSW worker offering on-going support to ensure that the highest quality of care is maintained during your time as a SLSW Carer.

SLSW Carers go through an assessment process (which takes on average 6-8 weeks) and you would be supported at every stage of this process. SLSW Carers are expected to work autonomously and in line with our policies and guidance and full support is given to enable this to be achieved.

It’s also important to make sure that those in your household are supportive of your wish to become a SLSW Carer.

Presently much of the assessment process takes place via video meetings.

A Shared Lives Coordinator must be able to visit your home as part of the assessment.

There will be a requirement for a DBS check to be conducted, as well as a commitment to training.

Once the assessment is complete, your assessment will go to our independent approval panel.

Requirements:

You need formal or informal care experience or transferrable skills that fit our values.

A spare room (up to three) is vital in your role as a carer.

You also don’t need to own your own property, but your landlord will need to consent to becoming a SLSW Carer.

What will I be paid?

It is a tax free income in most situations.

Shared Lives Carers are paid a weekly fee to support someone living with them long term, as well as a contribution toward rent and household costs, such as food, electricity and water.

The fees we pay depend on:

·       What sort of service you offer

·       How many people you support

·       What sort of support needs each person has

Long term: The amount varies from £321.00 to £536.00 per week per person.

Short break: £67.00 and £99.00 per 24 hours.

Shared Lives carers are self-employed – they are not employees of the scheme. More about this is explained when you go through our application process.

What are you waiting for?

Made the change and become a SLSW Carer- Share your home. Share your life.

Essential details:

Who are we looking for:

You need care experience or transferrable skills,  a spare room and a big heart!

Our carers come from a wide variety of backgrounds:

You may have a long history in social or health care
You may want a change of direction in your career
You may be retired or children have left home and want to make a difference.
You may have young children and want to work from home
You may be a foster carer looking to work with post 16 adults.