We are a growing Shared Lives Scheme building an innovative service across Dudley and Wolverhampton
24/04/2026
💙 We’re incredibly proud 💙
We’re delighted to share that Katie has been shortlisted for the Young People Award at the Frontline Awards 2026. Katie, who lives within a Shared Lives arrangement, is a passionate advocate for care experienced young people, championing the importance of family-based support beyond 18. Katie represents care leavers locally and nationally in her role of Ambassador, and the nomination is testament to her hard work and dedication!
A huge well done also to:
✨ Fellow Shared Lives Plus Ambassador Gracie – shortlisted for the Young People Award
✨ Shared Lives Care Leavers Programme – shortlisted for the Innovation Award
An amazing achievement for everyone involved 💫
Winners will be announced on Wednesday 13 May in London.
Congratulations to our new Shared Lives Carers who were approved last week during our virtual Panel!
Our Panel members are always blown away by the commitment and dedication shown to the new applicants - all of whom have amazing skills and values that they share every day!
21/04/2026
A Busy Few Months Behind the Scenes 🌸
It’s been a very busy couple of months for our Shared Lives team, with lots of work happening behind the scenes to support our carers and the people they share their lives with.
As we head towards summer, we’re really looking forward to putting new plans into motion and making the most of the months ahead. ☀️
Taking a moment to look back at the wonderful updates shared by our Shared Lives carers always brings a smile to our faces — seeing the everyday moments, achievements and activities they enjoy together is a real reminder of why this work means so much. 💙
Thank you to all our carers for everything you do and for sharing your stories with us. We can’t wait to see what the summer has in store!
21/04/2026
We hope our friends and followers have had a happy Vaisakhi! Wishing you joy, prosperity, and new beginnings 🧡
06/04/2026
We hope all our friends and followers have had a wonderful Easter weekend!
20/03/2026
✨Eid Mubarak to all who celebrate! ✨
As Ramadan comes to a close, we wish you a joyful Eid al-Fitr filled with peace, reflection, family, and community.
19/03/2026
We're delighted to share that Councillor Peter Lee - the current Mayor of - and his wife Gloria, have been officially approved as Shared Lives carers. Learn more about their inspiring journey, which began when a young person they cared for reached 18 years of age, ending their Special Guardianship Order: https://www.camphillvillagetrust.org.uk/news/2026/mayor-dudley-shared-lives-carer/
Dudley News Dudley borough Dudley Buzz
12/03/2026
International Women's Day: Give to Gain, Katie's Story ✨
Katie is one of the people we support in our Shared Lives (West Midlands) service. Shared Lives is a scheme that is a bit like foster care, but for adults with learning disabilities and autism. People who need support are carefully matched with Carers and live with them in their home.
Katie was given the opportunity to become a Shared Lives Ambassador, after completing a work experience placement with us, taking on real responsibilities such as running her own bowling group and representing the Shared Lives scheme at events.
Through these opportunities, Katie has gained so much. She’s grown in confidence, developed independence, built life skills, and feels proud of leading groups and speaking to others about her experiences.
And what we all gained? A passionate, confident ambassador who makes a real difference. Katie has supported recruitment, helped train new Shared Lives carers, led activities during Shared Lives Week, and promoted the scheme in the community — inspiring others and strengthening connections.
At Camphill Village Trust, this is what Give to Gain looks like: when belief, support and opportunity are given, everyone grows.
08/03/2026
This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the power of Give to Gain 💚
This week, we’ll be sharing stories from women we support, starting with Hannah.
Meet Hannah from our St Albans community.
When Hannah was given the opportunity and support to volunteer at her local care home, she stepped into a meaningful role within her community. With encouragement and belief, she began to grow in confidence, build a routine, and find a real sense of purpose.
Over the past seven months, Hannah has gained so much: stronger communication skills, greater independence, and pride in how far she’s come.
And what did others gain in return?
The care home gained a valued volunteer who brings warmth, kindness and positivity every day. The residents gained companionship, connection, and a friendly face they look forward to seeing.
We support people to get involved in their local communities through volunteering. This is what a life of opportunity looks like: when support is given, confidence grows — and everyone gains.
07/03/2026
🌟 What It Looks Like to Live With Shared Lives 🌟
Today, we’re celebrating Bella — someone who has opened her heart and her home to people through Shared Lives for over 20 years.
For Bella, this has never been “just a job.”
It’s a vocation.
A lifestyle.
A choice to spend her life walking alongside others, providing support, companionship, stability, and love in a truly unique way.
💛 In this video, you’ll get a glimpse into what Shared Lives looks like through Bella’s eyes — the laughter, the routines, the shared cups of tea, the challenges and triumphs, and above all, the genuine connections that form when people choose to live life together.
Shared Lives isn’t a service you clock in and out of. It’s a community built on trust, respect, and the belief that everyone deserves to live the life they choose — in a place they can call home.
✨ Thank you, Bella, for two decades of kindness, commitment, and extraordinary care. You embody what Shared Lives is all about. ❤️
06/03/2026
🌟 Recommend a Friend and Earn £150! 🌟
Do you know someone with a big heart and a passion for making a difference in the lives of others? Our Shared Lives program is looking for compassionate carers, and we need your help to find them! 🤗
If you are a Shared Lives Carer and you refer a friend who becomes successfully assessed and approved at our panel, you'll receive a £150 thank you from us! It's our way of showing appreciation for your support in growing our amazing community of carers.
👉 How to Refer:
🏷Tag your friend in the comments below or send us a direct message with their contact details.
💬Make sure they mention your name when they apply.
Help us spread the word and connect with more caring individuals who want to make a positive impact. Thank you for being a part of our Shared Lives family! ❤️
02/03/2026
🏠Your spare room could be someone’s sanctuary 🏠
If you have a downstairs bedroom and a passion for helping others, Shared Lives wants to hear from you.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Camphill Village Trust Shared Lives posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Practice
Send a message to Camphill Village Trust Shared Lives:
As a starting point, Shared Lives can be described as a little bit like ‘foster care for adults who have additional and/or complex needs’…. but it’s so much more than that, as we enable the person to make their own choices in life, take control and maximise their independence. The person is carefully matched to stay with specially trained Shared Lives Carers who provide individual support to develop practical skills, encourage new social networks, build self-esteem and lead the same ordinary life at the heart of the community just like you and me. When someone comes to stay with the Shared Lives Carer(s) on either a Live-In, Short-Break or Day-Care basis, we call this an ‘Arrangement’. There is a maximum of up to three people living/staying within a household at any one time.
In Shared Lives, the goal is for everyone to feel a sense of belonging, have opportunity to be valued as part of family life and be actively involved with the local community. We support anybody from the age of 18 years old, though we will start preparatory work with young adults who are making the transition to Adult Services. Whilst Shared Lives is traditionally a service for people with learning disabilities, the team have experience of setting up Arrangements for people with mental ill health, early-on-set dementia, hospital discharges, older people, physical disabilities, people on the Autistic Spectrum and those with other complex support needs.
Currently, there are approximately 12,000 adults being supported by around 9,000 Carers in Shared Lives Arrangements across England and the sector has grown by 30% over the last few years. When living in a Shared Lives Arrangement, people are known to lead longer, healthier and happier lives, which provides a real alternative to more traditional settings such as hospital or residential care. 96% of all Shared Lives Schemes inspected by the Care Quality Commission are rated as Good or Outstanding and the model has the lowest amount of Safeguarding incidents in comparison to all other forms of Adult Social Care. On average, placing someone in a Shared Lives Arrangement, can save Local Authorities/NHS up to £26K annually, in comparison to other forms of long-term care.
To become a Shared Lives Carer, you don’t need any qualifications or experience of working in the care industry (though it can help), you just need the right values, dedication…and of course a spare room!!! You should be over 21 years of age, be able to read and write English and be committed to undertaking training and supervision for the continued development of your role. Shared Lives Carers are not paid by the hour, there is no ‘clocking on and clocking off’ when you are supporting someone from within your own home, but it’s a hugely rewarding role!!! Shared Lives Carers have self-employed status and qualify for tax relief from HMRC. You are paid according to the level of support you provide, which can sometimes include personal care, often between £370-£560 per week. You can even continue with your current employment and be a Shared Lives Carer at the same time.
You will need to complete an Enhanced DBS Check, self-declaration of health, as well as provide employer/personal references and relevant insurance cover. The Scheme worker will then write an assessment report that will include your life history, employment career and identify your values and motivations for wanting to become a Carer. We will provide you with a comprehensive Induction programme, where groups discussions will focus on roles and responsibilities, ethical dilemmas, safeguarding and communication skills, and medication administration etc. An Independent Panel made up of local people with an interest in Shared Lives will interview you and then approve your status as a Carer. From start to finish, the whole process takes between 3-6 months.
When we match someone to stay with a Shared Lives Carer, we sometimes have to consider, but not always necessarily so, cultural/religious differences, age, gender, complexity of support needs, daily routines, skillset and experience of the Shared Lives Carer, home location, pets, interests and extended family/social networks. You may have to wait a little while whilst we find the right match, as we are not in the business of putting square pegs in round holes. We are sure you appreciate that when we bring people together, we need to check everybody is happy first, as this underpins the longevity and success of each Arrangement. Being part of a wider charity means there is also opportunity to access all the activities at our Stourbridge Community as well as connect to an already established network of support.
If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Carer with CVT Shared Lives, then visit our website at: www.cvt.org.uk/sharedlives and give us a call on 01384 441 505 or follow us on twitter: @CVTSharedLives
