Homeshare, Shared Lives and Micro Enterprise

Added: 18/11/2009
Updated: 07/09/2011

NAAPS is the UK network of very small, family and community-based care and support solutions for older and disabled people: it is all about ordinary people and families contributing to the care and support of local older and disabled people, sometimes in fairly extraordinary ways. Our membership includes Shared Lives (formerly called Adult Placement), Homeshare and micro-enterprise.

Our members use a range of approaches to enable people to achieve goals such as:

  • being in control of their services and their lives.
  • pursuing ordinary lives within their chosen families and relationships.
  • being valued by their communities and feeling like they belong.

NAAPS' members deliver or coordinate services which:

  • are built around individuals, their strengths and potential;
  • promote equality and value diversity;
  • are safe but support people to take risks in pursuit of their goals;
  • are cost-effective, with consistently better outcomes than alternatives.

Shared Lives

Shared Lives is where a family is paid a modest amount to share their family and community life with an adult or older person. In many cases that person becomes a permanent part of a supportive family, although Shared Lives is also used as a stepping stone whilst someone builds independent living skills, as day support and to provide breaks for unpaid family carers. Click here for a case study

Homeshare

Homeshare involves matching a homeowner or tenant with someone who has a housing need and can provide a little support or companionship. "Householders" are often older people who have developed some support needs or have become isolated or anxious about living alone. "Homesharers" are often younger people, students, or key public service workers who cannot afford housing where they work.

The Homesharer agrees to provide an agreed level of help and support to the Householder whilst living in their home for an agreed period of time. Homeshare is not a regulated service and cannot include the provision of personal care. Homesharers are not charged rent, but usually agree to contribute to household bills and it may be agreed that other costs such as food will be shared.

Micro-enterprise

NAAPS also supports ordinary people to set up micro-enterprises which meet the needs of a local individual or small group. Some of these enterprises are set up by front line workers previously based in large organisations, others are set up by disabled or older people themselves. They often draw on the resources of the local community. Some are funded through personal budgets or paid for with people's own money ('self-funding'). Some are carried out on a voluntary or part-voluntary basis, with any payments simply covering the cost of providing the service. Some micro-enterprises are co-operatives which may be owned jointly by people who deliver and people who use and pay for the service. Click here for case studies.

More case studies and articles are available at:

Contact naaps at www.naaps.org.uk

Micro services
Timebanking