Hello,
My 17 year old son (AS and mental ill health) is still lodging in a CAMHS unit (He was admitted in July and discharged in August) because social services cannot find anywhere for him to live (He cannot really come home due to child protection issues between his younger brother and himself). Shared Lives has been discussed as an option. However, my son is not very keen on living with another family. He wants to live in a group home with other young people and a member of staff overseeing support.
I am also a little emotionally torn about the prospect of my son living with a family - because his own family cannot keep him safe. Added to this, I am afraid that my son may detect a lack of equivalence between his status and the status of other family members or (on the other hand) that he may lose his bond with his real family as a result of living with another family group.
As you may tell, I am quite confused. My son has been told a little about Shared lives by a psychologist in the CAMHS unit, but I have been asked not to discuss accommodation options with him because funding has not been decided and so on.
Has anyone any experience of a loved one living in a Shared Lives provision? I just feel like I need to allay my own fears a little if this really is the only option.
Added to the mix, it is likely that my son will not be returning to college due to a farcical mix up with support and I will have to relay that information to him this Wednesday.
Thanks
My 17 year old son (AS and mental ill health) is still lodging in a CAMHS unit (He was admitted in July and discharged in August) because social services cannot find anywhere for him to live (He cannot really come home due to child protection issues between his younger brother and himself). Shared Lives has been discussed as an option. However, my son is not very keen on living with another family. He wants to live in a group home with other young people and a member of staff overseeing support.
I am also a little emotionally torn about the prospect of my son living with a family - because his own family cannot keep him safe. Added to this, I am afraid that my son may detect a lack of equivalence between his status and the status of other family members or (on the other hand) that he may lose his bond with his real family as a result of living with another family group.
As you may tell, I am quite confused. My son has been told a little about Shared lives by a psychologist in the CAMHS unit, but I have been asked not to discuss accommodation options with him because funding has not been decided and so on.
Has anyone any experience of a loved one living in a Shared Lives provision? I just feel like I need to allay my own fears a little if this really is the only option.
Added to the mix, it is likely that my son will not be returning to college due to a farcical mix up with support and I will have to relay that information to him this Wednesday.
Thanks