Shared Lives Plus, the UK membership charity for Shared Lives care, has launched national guidance to help recruit Shared Lives carers from minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities – ensuring the model reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.

Funded by Hallmark Foundation, the Good Practice Guide: Recruiting Shared Lives Carers from Minoritised Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Communities sets out proven, practical strategies to help local schemes recruit and retain carers from underrepresented backgrounds.

Shared Lives is a leading social care innovation where adults who need support are matched with approved carers, sharing their home and community life. When people are supported by carers who share their culture or faith, they often experience more personalised, familiar and culturally sensitive support.

Yet Shared Lives Plus’ State of the Sector report shows that only 5-7% of Shared Lives carers in England are from ethnic minoritised communities, compared with 18% of the population. The new guidance aims to bridge this gap and ensure Shared Lives represents and includes people from all communities.

Case Study: Laura & E – Bury Shared Lives

Laura and her husband, from an Orthodox Jewish background, were approved as foster carers in 2002. With six children of their own, they were motivated by the shortage of Orthodox Jewish foster carers and wanted to ensure young people from their community could remain connected to their culture and faith.

Nearly ten years ago, they welcomed a 12-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl with Down’s syndrome. Initially a short-term fostering placement, it became long-term due to her circumstances and the strong attachment she formed with the family.

Sharing the same faith allowed her to continue her religious practices, festivals, and daily routines, helping her settle quickly into family life. Laura explains: “We can support her with her religion as well as her day-to-day needs.”

As she approached adulthood, the family transitioned her to Shared Lives, allowing her to remain in the home where she felt secure. The change was seamless, which was particularly important as she does not always cope well with change. The family have now been Shared Lives carers for over four years.

During the day, she attends college, learning life skills alongside lessons about Jewish festivals and heritage. At home, she participates in Sabbath and festival preparations, attends synagogue with her own illustrated prayer book, and celebrates family occasions. She has also travelled to Israel with the family, visiting holy sites and strengthening her connection to her faith and heritage.

Laura says: “There needs to be a large pool of carers so placements can be well matched. With a good match, you help someone live a life that values what’s important to them and to you. It’s incredibly satisfying to watch someone grow and achieve, knowing you’re making a real difference. The rewards are endless.”

Case Study: Unazia & Mohiz – Ategi Shared Lives, Slough
Unazia, a Pakistani Muslim, and her family have supported Mohiz, a young Pakistani Muslim man, for the past five years, transitioning him from fostering to a Shared Lives arrangement when he turned 18.

“What began as a supportive arrangement has become a deep, family-like bond,” says Unazia. “When Mohiz first joined us, he spoke only a few words and was shy. Now he’s confident, talkative, and independent.”

Mohiz has developed essential life skills, from preparing his own meals to maintaining his room and hygiene independently. The family’s shared cultural and religious background has helped create a supportive, familiar environment. “My husband and kids are very attached to him. They involve him in everyday activities and encourage him to learn new things,” adds Unazia.

Mohiz is also thriving academically and socially, making friends at college and excelling in English and maths.

Ewan King, Chief Executive of Shared Lives Plus, said: “If Shared Lives is to be part of every community, our carers need to reflect the diversity of local communities. There is more to do to ensure that Shared Lives carers come from a wide range of backgrounds, including minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities. What is pleasing, is that there is much good work going on to address this challenge. This guide brings together many of these examples of good practice, and we would like to take the opportunity to thank all those who contributed. Keep up the amazing work, and for those who want to make further progress, please do use this guide.”

Based on research and engagement with Shared Lives schemes across England, the guide highlights how to:

• Recruit through faith groups, local leaders and community networks
• Use inclusive language and relatable imagery in marketing
• Support carers through culturally competent staff and flexible training
• Recruit carers to support people with dementia, drawing on learning from the Live More programme – a model of early action Shared Lives day support for people living with dementia and their families.

Stephen Burke, Director of the Hallmark Foundation, said: “This guide is vital to the future growth and success of Shared Lives. Recruiting more Shared Lives carers from communities currently underrepresented will enhance people’s experiences and lives. The continued expansion of Shared Lives will give a wider range of adults, particularly older people, the support they want and need for better lives.”

A range of national organisations – including the Local Government Association (LGA), Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), NHS Confederation and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – are backing the growth of Shared Lives.

In October, the King’s Fund described Shared Lives as a leading example of good practice that could help solve many of the challenges facing social care: “For some, the way social care services are commissioned and provided needs to change more fundamentally. Typically, this involves a move away from institutionalised, professionalised care towards much broader forms of support, exemplified by services such as the Shared Lives scheme and other strength or asset-based approaches.”

Download the Good Practice Guide: Recruiting Shared Lives Carers from Minority Ethnic, Cultural and Faith Communities at: www.sharedlivesplus.org.uk/our-work/resources/recruiting-diverse-shared-lives-carers