From Contract
Family to Shared
Living
National Home Sharing Network AGM
November 31st 2013
Home Sharing Scheme Galway
 The
Home Sharing scheme has been operating in
Galway for almost 30 years
 In
2007 it was expanded to a Contract Family
Scheme
 Now
in 2013 the scheme is being expanded further to
include Shared Living.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Contract Family Scheme

Started in 2007, initial funding provided by POBAL.

By end of POBAL funding, 8 Contract Families recruited
providing 38 guests with a total of 363 sessions per year.

Funding continued by BOCG and Ability West and now
have 15 Contract Families providing 58 guests a total of
2453 sessions per year.

Currently 6 additional families interested in joining
scheme
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Shared Living

In 2012 The Brothers of Charity Services Galway sought
funding from GENIO for a 'Shared Living Scheme‘

5 individuals with a severe intellectual disability will be
facilitated to move from living in the congregated setting
to an individualised living arrangement of their choice
with a host family/individual in their local community.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Definition

Shared Living is defined as an arrangement in which an
individual, couple or family in the community share their
life’s experiences with a person with a disability on a fulltime basis.

The term ‘Shared Living’ invites people to have an
experience rather than to work at a job or provide a
service.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Purpose




Is to enrich the lives of people with disabilities by
matching those who choose this lifestyle with a family or
an individual who chooses to open their homes and their
hearts.
The service aims to build individualised and more
inclusive community based residential options for people
with intellectual disabilities.
It is being set up to be able to cater for people with a
range of disabilities from mild to severe with additional
needs.
The service aims to be another option for people to
consider.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Benefits of Shared Living to the
Individual:

Individualised service, person is matched to a family that
will best meet their needs and interests.

Living in a family environment,

Part of wider community, engaging

with wider spectrum of people than they would have
done previously, while living in a residential setting.

Person gets to lead a fuller, more integrated lifestyle.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Benefits of Shared Living to the
Shared Living Family:

Sense of well being in offering a supportive, caring,
family environment to someone that requires that
support

Benefits to all family members in having a fuller life
experience living with a person with a disability.

Satisfaction of helping people develop skills and levels of
independence that they may not had opportunity to
develop in their previous environment.

Allows main carer to work from home
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Challenges:

Helping people to consider Shared Living as an option

Recruit appropriate Host Families.

Ensure appropriate support, respite and back up placement plan.

Identify appropriate match of Host family and individual who requires
shared living home.

Respond to any fears and concerns of staff and of Natural families.

Continue recruiting Host Families for Home Sharing and Contract
family roles.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
First Steps to Shared Living

International and national research.

Develop specific Shared Living Training.

Advertise and explain scheme

Recruit and assess potential Host families.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Shared Living SchemesInternational Experience


There are Shared Living projects in the UK,
Canada and in the US.
Common Themes:
 People who use Shared Lives schemes have
often lived in many different institutions,
Services have seen evidence that the
individual attention of a shared living home
can help people obtain better outcomes.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Common themes Internationally:
continued
 The
key is the match and everyone is
different,
 The person and their family are involved in
the planning process and if able make the
final decision in terms of where they want to
live and if they want to try a Shared Living
setting.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Common themes Internationally:
continued

If shared living is rushed it can fail, key is to proceed
at pace of the individual.
 Case Managers are required to visit the home at least
once a month and they have to maintain the
standards of the program. They review the
individual’s progress, community connectedness,
family participation etc.
 Respite is an average of 3 days per month, may be
more depending on the needs of the individual.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Common themes Internationally:
continued

Ideally the service requires an emergency respite/back-up
option. This can be facilitated through another family or a group
home. Authorities tend not to want to double fund so in reality if
crisis occurs and a placement breaks down the other shared
living placements do what they can. To avoid problems services
ask that their families do not give them any surprises in regard to
ending placements and if issues are arising that could lead to
placement breakdown that they are flagged early.

Natural Families tend to feel an institution is the safe place for
their family member as there are lots of staff so families can be
opposed or very cautious initially to shared living.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Common themes Internationally:
continued
 key points –
 a thorough approval and training process,
 matching,
 appropriate transition period
 supports to Shared Living Families, regular home visits,
respite etc.
 supervision,
 There is a great possibility of longevity if the match is good
and the home sharer is supported.
 Advice
from other providers re Shared Living is
“We know it works”!!
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Host Family Responsibility:

The decision to Share their lives with a person with a
disability is life-changing and deserves the involvement
of the entire family before such a commitment is made.

Support every family member with their position and role
within the family structure changes with the placement of
the new person.

Accept the person as a real and equal part of the family.

provide positive life experiences in a safe, nurturing and
stable family environment, free from abuse and/or
neglect.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Host Family Responsibility:
Continued

Accept the heritage, culture and language of the person
and the natural family.

Acknowledge the importance of the natural family and
promote and support a positive, non-judgmental
relationship between the person and their natural family.

Save mementos and photographs for the person.

Help the person integrate into the local community life.

As necessary, liaise with support services
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Supports Available:

Regular phone calls and home visits.

Continued involvement of current support services, if
necessary.

Training as required

Host Family Support Meetings every 3 months.

Involvement with service provision – Person Centred
Planning etc

Regular reviews
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Training and Assessment:




2 days for Families already approved for Home Sharing.
Based on learning from current Home sharing, Contract
Family training and advice gained from International
services.
Topics covered included understanding how to be person
centred, working on your own, partnership, commitment,
stress management, good practice, integration into the
community, talks by experienced Host families.
Assessment based on Fostering Model and availing of
Home Sharing and/or Contract Family assessments
previously conducted.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Financial Arrangements:

`
Host Families will be paid expenses according to the level of
disability of the person:
€40 per night - Level 1 (moderate level of disability)
€55 per night - Level 2 (severe to profound disability)
€85 per night - Level 3 (severe to profound disability with
additional needs)

In addition Host Families will be paid a retainer for the purpose
of having a room available throughout the year. There is a two
tiered retainer a Host Families can except, again depending on
the level of disability of the person.
€5000 per annum for person regarded at Level 1
€10000 per annum for persons regarded at Level 2 & 3

€400.00 a month receipt based expenses to cover additional
cost such as physiotherapy etc.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Tax Relief:

The retainer is not taxable under the Revenue
Commissioners Rent-a-Room Scheme

If you rent out a room in your home to private
tenants, the rental income you earn will be
exempt from income tax, provided this income
does not exceed €10,000 in a tax year.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
Progress so far:

Specific Shared Living Training took place in May,
attended by families previously trained as Home Sharing
families.

Following on from this training, assessments were
completed on families that are interested in the scheme.

The assessment entailed home visits, background
checks which would include Garda and HSE, 3 character
references and a medical.

These Assessments were presented to Home Sharing
Panel for approval.
From Contract Family to Shared Living
The Match:

Discussions are now beginning with people who may be suited to
the scheme, their families and key staff to get their views.

People who were identified as requiring a Shared Living
arrangement are then matched with the appropriate assessed Host
Families.

Following a suitable match being agreed, introductions will take
place.

If the person is currently receiving a Home Sharing service from a
family approved for Shared Living then their breaks slowly increase.

From international experiences the time it takes a person to settle
into their new home is variable, very individualised

Process will be reviewed regularly
From Contract Family to Shared Living
From Contract Family to Shared Living