Our Quality team met Ginette at a Shared Lives carers meeting recently to talk about quality checking and to get feedback from carers about their role.
Following the meeting they caught up with Ginette who shared an amazing story with them about a young woman she and her husband had supported. The supported person had come to live with them following an abusive foster arrangement upbringing and has lived with them for several years.
The foster carers would not provide her with the basics like; clothing, sanitary products or enough food. They would lock her room with her inside, restricting her freedom. The supported person had to rely on the foster carers grandparents to sneak her food.
Ginette changed her life through Shared Lives
When the young woman came to live in the Shared Lives arrangement, she didn’t know how to look after herself properly, was protective of her food and struggled to trust Ginette and her husband.
With Shared Lives support, the young woman completely changed her life around. Ginette spoke about how helpful she became, as she grew in confidence around the house with chores and helping them both day to day, which was a great start, but then the carers helped to push her to go for something more for herself.
The young woman did a course on animal welfare in college and moved away, only coming back at weekends. She then started working with animals, looking after and selling sheep and lambs. She went on to volunteer with children, and this led to her full-time job in a school, which she finds really rewarding, as it feels great to help kids thanks to her experiences and confidence development.
Fighting for justice
The carers also supported her in a court case where both foster carers were convicted and received prison sentences. Personal compensation was also awarded, which helped her move out to live independently. She still sees Ginette through Shared Days and keeps in touch.
The impact of Shared Lives...
This was a great story to hear with amazing impacts achieved through Shared Lives support.
The quality team will be reaching out to more Shared Lives arrangements over the coming months through phone calls and attending more Shared Lives events.
If you’d like to share a story or be involved in quality checking, please get in touch with us at the quality team by emailing qualityteam@pss.org.uk or contacting us on 07599656850.