Kirklees Shared Lives

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.
 

This service scored 82 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider was exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices, and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.
Care was exceptionally person-centred. Care plans were detailed and developed in collaboration with people, their relatives and professionals involved in their care. Information reflected people's individual needs, preferences, aspirations and desired outcomes, ensuring support was focused on what mattered most to them.
We saw examples of people using the Shared Lives service receiving highly personalised support to achieve goals that were important to them. One person was supported to develop practical life skills, increase their independence and build their confidence. This enabled them to pursue their long-term ambition of joining the military. Through tailored support, encouragement and advocacy from their Shared Lives carers, they successfully secured a place with the military. This was a significant and life-changing achievement and demonstrated the provider's commitment to supporting people to achieve outcomes that reflected their individual aspirations.

While outcomes were different for each person, records and examples consistently demonstrated that support was tailored to people's individual goals, needs and aspirations. For some people this meant achieving significant life ambitions, increasing independence and developing new skills. For others with more complex health and support needs, personalised care focused on maintaining health and wellbeing, avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions, sustaining long-term placements and enabling them to remain connected to their communities and the people who mattered to them. This demonstrated a consistent commitment to delivering care and support that reflected what was important to each individual.
Carers took time to understand what was important to people and supported them to lead fulfilling lives based on their individual interests and preferences. For example, 1 person was supported to maintain an active social life through spending time with friends, attending community groups, participating in leisure activities and taking holidays. This promoted their wellbeing, helped them maintain important relationships and enabled them to engage in activities that brought them enjoyment and meaning.
As a result, people received highly personalised support that reflected who they were as individuals and enabled them to achieve outcomes that were important to them.
 

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.
The provider placed a strong emphasis on maintaining continuity of care through careful matching, ongoing monitoring and proactive review of placements. People often remained with Shared Lives carers for extended periods, enabling trusting relationships and consistent support to develop over time. Where people's needs changed, the provider worked closely with carers, families and professionals to adapt support arrangements, helping to maintain placement stability and minimise disruption to people's lives.
 

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.
People were provided with information in ways they could understand and that reflected their individual communication needs. The service made information available in a range of accessible formats, including easy read documents for people with learning disabilities.
Carers played an important role in supporting communication and understanding. We saw examples of carers helping people to understand information shared by professionals, supporting them to express their views, and ensuring their responses and preferences were understood during discussions and decision-making. This helped people remain informed and involved in decisions about their care and support.
 

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.
The provider sought and acted on feedback from people, carers, staff and professionals to help ensure care remained person-centred and responsive to people's needs.
People were encouraged to share their views in ways that suited their individual communication needs. We saw examples of people expressing what Shared Lives meant to them through pictures, words and other accessible methods. One person described Shared Lives simply as "friends", demonstrating the value they placed on the relationships they had developed.

Opportunities to gather feedback were provided through both informal conversations and formal reviews. People were regularly involved in three-monthly reviews of their care and support, held within their homes alongside their Shared Lives carers. This helped ensure people's views, experiences and preferences continued to inform the support they received.
 

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.
People were supported to attend all medical appointments, whether routine or emergency, as required. Some people's homes had been adapted to meet their individual needs and requirements, such as having track hoists installed, specialist bathing equipment and adjusted beds. One person had multiple complex health conditions and significant communication needs. Their carers used their detailed knowledge of the person's individual presentation to identify when they were unwell and advocate on their behalf with healthcare professionals, ensuring they received timely assessments, treatment and interventions that may otherwise have been delayed.
 

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.
Shared Lives staff and carers understood the needs of autistic people and people living with a learning disability and worked hard to ensure barriers to positive experiences and outcomes were reduced or removed. Carers demonstrated a strong understanding of people's individual communication needs, preferences and vulnerabilities and adapted their support accordingly.
We heard examples of carers taking additional steps to ensure people received equitable care and support. For example, when 1 person was admitted to hospital, their Shared Lives carer stayed with them throughout their admission. A relative confirmed this helped to ensure the person's needs were understood and met within the hospital environment and provided reassurance during a potentially distressing experience.
We also saw examples of carers acting as advocates for people to ensure their views, wishes and needs were understood by health and social care professionals. Carers provided information in ways people could understand and supported them to participate in discussions and decisions about their care. Carers told us they frequently did this during healthcare appointments as they believed it helped people achieve better outcomes and ensured they had equitable access to services and support.
Through this personalised approach, people were supported to have experiences and outcomes comparable to those of others, regardless of their disability, communication needs or level of support required.
 

People were given exceptional support to plan for important life changes, so they could make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.
People were empowered to plan for their future and pursue ambitions that were meaningful to them. Shared Lives staff and carers worked collaboratively with people, families and professionals to ensure future goals, aspirations and opportunities were identified, regularly reviewed and actively supported.
We saw exceptional examples of people being supported to achieve significant, life-changing outcomes through a carefully planned and person-centred approach.
For example, 1 person entered Shared Lives requiring support to develop confidence, independence and daily living skills whilst maintaining the important relationships they had developed with their foster family. Through sustained support from their Shared Lives carer and wider support network, they developed practical life skills, increased their travel independence and successfully secured paid employment. As their confidence continued to grow, the scheme began to explore opportunities for greater independence and requested a reassessment of their needs, resulting in a referral for Supported Living services. Staff and carers worked closely with the person throughout this process, ensuring plans progressed at a pace that reflected their wishes, strengths and readiness for change.
The outcomes achieved demonstrated the significant impact of the support provided. The person had progressed from requiring substantial support with daily living and confidence-building to preparing for a more independent future, while maintaining the relationships and support networks that were important to them. This demonstrated the provider's commitment to helping people achieve their aspirations, maximise their independence and realise their full potential.