Shared lives
We support employees who help others to remain as independent as possible and part of the community.
We offer employees the opportunity to work more flexibly. This must be compatible with the demands of their job and with approval from their line manager. Additional time off will be available to all our employees who are shared lives carers.
To apply for additional time off, the employee must:
- have been employed by us for three months
- have obtained their manager’s consent to take up additional employment (as per the code of conduct policy
- be applying to become a shared lives carer, or
- be an approved shared lives carer and have an ongoing placement with a service user (or have had a placement for 75% of the time within the previous 12 months)
This entitlement applies to community and voluntary controlled schools. It is advisory for foundation and voluntary aided schools.
This policy also does not apply to agency workers, reliefs or contractors.
Leave entitlement
Up to five days additional annual leave with pay may be granted to employees (pro-rata for part-time) per year.
When applying to become a shared lives carer, the employee may need to attend meetings, training and home visits. If this leave is taken in one block, the current shared lives provider (PSS) may fast-track their assessment. Employees can then complete all the carer start-up activities within the additional annual leave period.
Applying and approval
When applying to their line manager, the employee must:
- provide written evidence that they are an approved shared lives carers, or they are actively applying to become one
- outline the reason and the amount of leave required. They should include whether the additional leave will be taken as a block to take advantage of the fast-track process.
The employee’s line manager will consider the individual circumstances of each case and the business requirements.