The Shared Lives service provided by North Somerset Council is ‘Good’ according to a government watchdog.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission inspected the service over three days in August and published their report last month.

The council’s adult placement scheme known as Shared Lives, recruits, trains and supports self-employed Shared Lives carers, who provide long-term placements, short breaks or day-care support for vulnerable adults in the carer’s own family home in the community. The service supports people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

The service offers an alternative to both residential and more traditional care at home services for people who need care and support with their day to day lives.

The CQC inspectors looked at five areas:

• Is the service safe?
• Is the service effective?
• Is the service caring?
• Is the service responsive?
• Is the service well-led?

They concluded that all these areas were ‘Good’.

Their report says: ‘people received care that was safe, effective, caring and very responsive’ and ‘people were very much involved in decisions about their care and treated as equals’.

Inspectors also highlighted that the service ‘was well led, had clear leadership with supportive networks for the staff, the carers and the Shared Lives carers’. Staff were ‘passionate about getting the services right for people’.

And in another boost to the service, one of the Shared Lives carers, Mary Cassidy, has been named as regional winner for the South West in the Great British Care Awards in the category of Home Care Worker. The awards celebrate excellence across the care sector and pay tribute to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work.

Mary, who lives in Bleadon, has worked with Shared Lives for three years providing respite placements for adults with learning differences, disabilities and other additional needs. In this time, Mary has given families providing full-time care a much needed break and is being recognised for her incredible individualised approach and commitment to developing skills and opportunities for those who stay with her.

Mary said: “When I was notified that I was a finalist in the regional award, I was very surprised as I did not know I had been nominated. I felt honoured that someone thought me worthy of this award. It feels fantastic to be appreciated.”

Hayley Verrico North Somerset Council’s Assistant Director for Adults Support and Safeguarding, added: “As a service, our aim is to maximise the independence and wellbeing of people using our Shared Lives service and to ensure that users of the service are treated with the upmost dignity and respect. Mary embodies this ethos and we are proud that her work is being recognised through this national award.”

Find out more about the scheme and how to become a Shared Lives carer at www.n-somerset.gov.uk and search for Shared Lives.

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