Social care charity Camphill Village Trust has announced its intention to extend its support model by developing a Shared Lives care and support programme. The charity, which supports adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other support needs, plans a phased development of this well-established model over the next three to four years. It will complement the work of the charity’s nine existing communities and widen the support and housing opportunities the charity offers across England.

Camphill Village Trust’s Shared Lives scheme will recruit, assess and approve local people to become Shared Lives carers. The scheme will then match people who need care and support with someone who is an approved Shared Lives carer. In line with the Shared Lives model, these carers will be self-employed and use their own home to support typically one or two people. As with the charity’s communities, Shared Lives offers accommodation and support with a strong focus on mutually valued relationships.

Chief Executive Huw John said:

“It’s important that Camphill Village Trust is seen to be listening, and responding, to the challenges of a changing social care world.

“Our vision is of our communities being at the centre of a wider network of Shared Lives households offering a greater choice of housing and support. By providing Shared Lives carers and those they support opportunities in the social life of our existing communities, we will create the possibility of new relationships and connections for those in our communities, and a greater sense of mutual support for Shared Lives carers.”

The charity will be supported by Community Catalysts in the setting up and development of this programme.

Sian Lockwood from Community Catalysts said:

‘We are delighted to be able to work with Camphill Village Trust to help them set up and establish their Shared Lives service. We believe that Shared Lives families will enjoy and be enriched by the opportunity to link with their local CVT community and can in turn help to strengthen their links with the neighbourhoods within which they are situated.’

For further information please contact:

Andy Paton on 07813062118 andy.paton@cvt.org.uk or
Richard Hamer on 07939082274 richard@younghamer.co.uk

Notes for the editor:

• Camphill Village Trust is a long established and progressive social care charity with nine rural and urban communities across England. Each of the communities provides opportunities for personal growth, fulfilling work, friendship and social interaction, education and training, and cultural and spiritual inspiration.

• Shared Lives is an established and successful model of support for people with disabilities as well as older people. It is promoted by Shared Lives Plus, the UK network for family-based and small-scale ways of supporting adults.

• Local authorities value Shared Lives as it provides an important alternative to residential care and supported living. NHS England has just announced a £1.75 million investment in this innovative family-based initiative – see

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2016/04/innovative-care-initiativ...

• A separate Shared Lives scheme, run by Avalon, is in the process of being developed in the charity’s Botton Village community.

Community Catalysts is a Community Interest Company established by Shared Lives Plus in 2010. Its staff and associates are deeply experienced and knowledgeable about the best ways to support the development and growth of effective, high quality Shared Lives services. The organisation works across the UK with local authorities and charities keen to establish and grow Shared Lives services which provide excellent outcomes for a range of people including people with learning disabilities and/or mental health problems.