Parents with learning disabilities are more likely than any other group to have their children removed from their care. The team at Cornerstone Shared Lives scheme in Scotland have successfully overcome this common issue by supporting a parent and child placement in Shared Lives to ensure that Kerryann, could continue living with her Shared Lives carers, whilst raising her baby.
Supported parenting in Shared Lives involves Shared Lives carers supporting a parent, so that they can raise their child whilst having help in a safe environment to navigate parenthood, learn, and practice new skills.
Marissa Speed, Shared Lives Family Placement Lead at Cornerstone says, “This is a great outcome for Kerryann and baby Lily, although it was a difficult and challenging time with the initial uncertainty, Cornerstone Shared Lives has enabled them to stay together and for Kerryann to raise her child whilst having the continued support and guidance from her carers Sandra and Stephen in a natural family environment.
“We have experience of two supported parenting arrangements over recent years, and both parents continue to thrive. The learning from these arrangements have helped to influence and shape the Shared Lives Plus supported parenting guidance for both schemes and professionals in Scotland.”
Kerryann had already been supported by Shared Lives for nine years and was living with her current Shared Lives carers, Sandra and Stephen, for two years when she became pregnant. “The Shared Lives service has given me security so I’m able to become independent and be able to learn the skills to look after my daughter Lily and myself, plus continuing to grow with the support of my carers and the Shared Lives service, which I love,” says Kerryann.
Cornerstone Shared Lives, along with Kerryann’s Shared Lives carers worked to ensure that Kerryann would be allowed to keep her baby, as well as remain in Shared Lives.
Sandra and Stephen say, “Being Shared Lives carers is a joy to see the person we support, grow, and learn new skills to be able to move forward and become more independent. It was important for Kerryann to have our support, advice, and guidance through daily life/challenges by being there for her and giving reassurance. Kerryann is thriving with her daughter and we’re very proud of her.”
The journey to achieve this was long, and during this time Kerryann’s Shared Lives carers supported her to all appointments, and helped with navigating the various changes that pregnancy brings. The Cornerstone Shared Lives team had to evidence why Kerryann should remain being supported through the Shared Lives service and advocated on Kerryann’s behalf using best practice principles and giving Kerryann a voice so her views were being heard and listened to, applying The Promise Scotland foundations, ensuring families with the right amount of support can thrive and stay together when given the opportunity. After lots of hard work they were able to evidence this, with a positive outcome to the child protection investigation recognising Kerryann has all the support she needs in the family environment. It was agreed no further social work involvement was required.
Now, Kerryann is thriving. She wanted to build her independence from the start, bonding beautifully with her baby, getting up with her during the night, and understanding that raising her daughter was her responsibility and not the Shared Lives carers. Kerryann is very grateful to Cornerstone Shared Lives and her Shared Lives carers for all the support she’s received. She has grown in confidence and in her abilities to support her daughter out in the community by herself, which was a huge milestone that she overcame and continues to do.
@SharedLivesPlus
