Libby Potts is an exceptional woman, though she’d probably be the last person to say or even think that.

She is a full-time Shared Lives carer who has made her house into a home for those she looks after.

The 61-year-old lives to look after others and has opened up her home to Wayne Green, 50, and Daniel Edgar, 27, who both live with her full-time. She also hosts people on short breaks and normally has three people in her home at any one time.

“I don’t take it as a job,” says Libby, “It’s just looking after my family.”

Libby decided to talk about her experience with Shared Lives to encourage others to sign up as hosts.

Being involved with the Cumbria County Council scheme has enriched and changed her life, and she strongly recommends that others have a go. The only skills you need she says is “a big heart and a lot of patience”.

Libby’s home on Howard Place, Carlisle city centre, is a place full of love and activity. Picture frames are propped up on almost all available space with beaming faces of Libby’s sons Simon, 44, and Michael, 43, and extended family of Wayne, Daniel and other people she cares for.

“They are like little lost souls when they come,” says Libby.

But Shared Lives has changed those Libby cares for as she says: “It’s made them a bit more independent. It’s given them a bit more stability, a bit more family love.”

Daniel, who has learning difficulties, has been living with Libby for nearly 10 years. She initially went to meet him for lunches at James Rennie School, Carlisle, and there is a picture of him with his classmates in Libby’s front room.

“Daniel’s grown up a lot from what he was when he came here at 18,” says Libby, explaining that he’s a lot more confident now. Daniel loves music, bowling and boccia, which is a precision ball sport related to bowls, and he is learning how to swim.

He and Wayne are like brothers, and at the moment Michael Codd, 51, is also staying with the family for two weeks.

Michael says: “I’m good mates with the lads. I like Libby, we’re good friends.”

Michael has been coming up to Libby’s for about five years to give his mum in Barrow a break. He saves up his money all year ready for his trip as he says the shops in Carlisle are much better than back in Barrow.

Wayne, who has Down’s syndrome, feels so at home at Libby’s he calls her ‘mam’. Football is his passion – he plays with Mencap and is an avid Carlisle United supporter. Wayne was given the option of moving into a house on his own but much prefers life with Libby and it’s obvious why when he sees her and Daniel as his extended family.

Charlotte Dodds, supervisor for Shared Lives North Cumbria, says the scheme is incredibly rewarding for carers, who can see the positive impact it makes on people’s lives.

She says: “We know there are many people out there who would really benefit from the sort of support and advice this service offers.”


Libby Potts Libby and Charlotte say Cumbria County Council is very keen to recruit more hosts and volunteers. At the moment in north Cumbria there are about 16 individuals and couples who are Shared Lives hosts.

This is a particularly pressing issue for Libby as in a few weeks she is due to go for an operation at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary. There are so few hosts, Libby is not sure where Wayne and Daniel will go while she is in hospital and afterwards, when doctors say she must rest for at least a week.

“I’m looking for volunteers, we really need volunteers,” says Libby.

Volunteers can take adults who need support out for the day giving Libby the chance for some respite herself, not that resting comes easily to her. She hasn’t had a day off in a year.

“I’m old school, I don’t complain,” she says.

Libby has always been a carer – she worked as a nurse and looked after her mum for 21 years after her dad died.

Libby and her extended family often go to bingo and bowling and have also been on holiday together to Scotland and Blackpool.

She says she knows being a Shared Lives host probably isn’t for everyone and finds it hard to articulate why she does it.

“I don’t know why exactly,” she says. “Any difference I can make in any of their lives, any benefit for them – to be a part of the family because a lot of the guys have got no family.”

Ultimately she says she just wants to make a difference in someone’s life and make them part of a family.


Campaign to share the care

Shared Lives is being launched to match adults, who need support, with host carers who can give them a stable life environment in which they can flourish.

Cumbria County Council is officially launching Shared Lives Cumbria and is desperate for people who think they could be host carers to get in touch.

Carers provide adults who need support with respite, day support or long term care in their home. They can take in carers for a few days, weeks, months or indefinitely.

The goal of Shared Lives is to create an ordinary family life. Shared Lives hosts could look after adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems, elderly people, disabled children becoming young adults, parents with learning disabilities and their children, recovering substance addicts or ex-offenders.

Carers receive an allowance from the council to cover their expenses. They also receive full training and guidance and are supported by a key support worker throughout their time as a Shared Lives carer.

Carers and service users initially get to know each other through a series of informal meetings. If both feel they will be able to form a long-term bond, they will then set up an arrangement that suits both of them, whether that's regular daytime or overnight visits or moving in on a permanent basis. These relationships can be life-long.

There are already 12,000 Shared Lives carers in the UK, recruited, trained and approved by 150 local schemes, which are regulated by the government’s social care inspectors.

For more information, or to apply to be a Shared Lives carer, visit cumbria.gov.uk/sharedlives or call 01228 226053.