"After you have been living at the same place for a while you find that your carer gets to know how you are feeling and is able to read the little signs in your character, for example, if you want a bit of space and to be quiet, if you need a friendly cuddle, if you just need some way to be able to let of steam, just little things like that."

SWAPS offers Shared Lives services for people with learning disabilities, mental health problems, physical disabilitities and older people. The service is available to adults aged 18 and over.

It may be appropriate where:

• Someone is living independently but needs or wants a little more help on a day to day basis whilst still being able to live in a "normal" setting
• Someone has moderate to complex care and support needs but where moving into a care home would be inappropriate (for example a young person moving into a home with people significantly older than them)
• Someone is currently in a care home but would prefer to live in a smaller more family orientated setting
• Someone has been living at home with their family but this is no longer feasible or the family cannot cope
• Someone has been fostered on a long term basis and is now approaching 18 and wishes to continue living with the foster family (in this case the foster family would also have to register with us as a Shared Lives provider)