A WOMAN from Bromsgrove has shared her experience with Worcestershire County Council's scheme - Shared Lives.

The service offers people with additional support needs a family home experience with trained providers either on a long term basis or for a few days to give a family carer a break.

Louise, age 39, lived with her first Shared Lives provider for 18 years and during this time developed her life skills such as gardening, looking after a home and learning how to develop positive relationships, and boundaries.

In 2018, her Shared Lives provider was unable to continue due to illness.

Bromsgrove Advertiser: Louise and Stacey's son Oscar. Louise and Stacey's son Oscar.

Stacey, the providers granddaughter stepped in, keeping Louise very much part of the family. Stacey said: “Louise quickly became a massive part of our family and embraced the changes thrown at her.

"Louise had a very routine based lifestyle while living with her previous provider and was thrown into pure chaos with a newborn, she and our son have a bond that is magical to watch.

“Over the 3 years Louise has been with us she has developed in such a way that she now needs minimal support from me.

"During her time with us we have enjoyed family holidays, fantastic days out, watching her first concert, The Spice Girls, in Manchester, changing her daily routine into hardly any routine, and let’s face it life with a newborn, there is no routine."

Shared Lives Worker Natasha Hughes said “ Stacey has done a remarkable job continuing the work of her Nan, in supporting Louise to develop her independent living skills, and to progress to the next chapter in her life. It’s been a pleasure to see.”

Throughout the pandemic, the scheme and providers have adapted their ways of working such as attending online training sessions, adapted to the change in how monitoring visits are carried out, and stepped in when day services have been unable to run due to restrictions.

Councillor Adrian Hardman, cabinet member for adult social care said: “Louise’s story and the progress she has made in this placement is something that everyone involved can be extremely proud of and look back on really fondly.

"The Shared Lives scheme is rewarding for many people and is just one way we help our residents to take that next step, improve their life skills, and live healthy and as independent a life as possible.

"We’d encourage anybody thinking about becoming a provider to contact our team.”