Shared Lives Carer Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Before your Shared Lives Carer interview, it helps to see the questions from the interviewer's side. We have picked eight from our set of 12 and added the reason each one gets asked.

Eight Shared Lives Carer interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. Why do you want to become a Shared Lives carer, and how is it different from foster care or working in a care home?

Why they ask: To check the candidate understands that Shared Lives means sharing your own home and family life.

2. How does the matching process work in Shared Lives, and what would you want to know about someone before agreeing to a match?

Why they ask: To test understanding of the careful, person-centred matching that underpins Shared Lives.

3. What does the approval and ongoing support process for a Shared Lives carer involve?

Why they ask: To check readiness for the formal requirements and accountability of the role.

4. Your own teenage son says he is finding it hard having the person you support living in the house, and feels you have less time for him. What do you do?

Why they ask: To test awareness of the impact on the carer's family and ability to balance both.

5. How do you maintain boundaries between family life and your professional role, and what are your responsibilities regarding records and finances?

Why they ask: To test professionalism, record-keeping and financial integrity.

6. Tell me about a time you helped someone you support build independence or connections in their community.

Why they ask: To test person-centred, outcome-focused support.

7. How do the Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding duties apply to you as a Shared Lives carer?

Why they ask: To test legal and safeguarding knowledge in a home setting.

8. The person living with you becomes very distressed and angry late at night, shouting and throwing things. What do you do?

Why they ask: To test de-escalation skills and safety awareness in a home environment.

A sample answer to question 1

Why do you want to become a Shared Lives carer, and how is it different from foster care or working in a care home?

Shared Lives appeals to me because it offers someone a genuine family and community setting, rather than a service. An adult who needs support lives with me, or visits regularly, as part of my household, takes part in everyday life and builds ordinary relationships. It differs from a care home because it is a one-to-one arrangement in a real home, without shifts or a staff rota. It is different from fostering in that it supports adults, who have the same rights as anyone else to make choices, to privacy and to take positive risks. I am approved and supported by a Shared Lives scheme, which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission, and I work alongside them and the person's social worker. I understand it needs commitment, since my home becomes a workplace as well as a home, and my family will be involved. I enjoy cooking, gardening and community life, and I want to help someone live a fuller life with the right balance of independence and support.

Common mistake to avoid: Treating it as an easy way to earn money; ignoring the impact on your own family

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 12 questions are on the Shared Lives Carer interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.