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shared lives then and now

becomes a carer? When one no longer
needs a gatekeeper or a gatekeeper only
in some things, is support present in that
change for both those with learning
disabilities and carers?
The struggles and questions around
acknowledging independence are, in
short, an experience and discussion that is
still ongoing with Grace Eyre and, indeed,
within society.
We are glad we continued the Sharing
Our Voices activities during the pandemic
and were able to engage people with
learning disabilities to explore their
histories, both personal and more generally.
Grace Eyre was proud of the foundation’s farms but life on them could be difficult The project has inspired us to reflect on
our own practice and values and to look
own choices. Directed by Justin Spray, it some were prevented because of caution at how we use life story work to improve
was launched in December 2021 as part of on the part of carers or as others in their the quality of care by enabling people to
Grace Eyre’s ReThink Disability Campaign shared home were vulnerable. tell their stories and thereby articulate
and is now being shown at various film There is a clear challenge to Grace Eyre their needs. n
festivals in the UK and overseas. Foundation here to ensure that carers l For oral history interviews, Grace Eyre’s
A key issue the project highlighted was understand their role clearly – to support story, participants’ blog posts and more,
the extent to which people are still people to be more independent, try new see https://sharingourvoices.org/
experiencing some historical limitations in things, meet friends, develop relationships l Grace Eyre Foundation: https://www.
shared lives arrangements. and express themselves freely. grace-eyre.org/
We found some carers were gatekeeping We have found this has been a theme
and preventing people from volunteering through the history of the Guardianship Nathaniel Lawford is the inclusion and
with the project. They would not take up Society and the Grace Eyre Foundation, as project director at the Grace Eyre
the offer of IT help if that was a barrier. the organisation has to constantly Foundation and was a participant in the
This was complicated by the pandemic. reinvigorate the shared lives model to Sharing Our Voices project
People vulnerable for health reasons had ensure carers are supporting people
their options limited even more. Project towards greater independence. Jackie Reeve was director of the Sharing
workers talked with people who wanted Does training make clear to people Our Voices Project and works for the
to join the project as things eased, but what one is committing to when one Grace Eyre Foundation

Nathaniel Lawford reflects on self-reliance, a fulfilling life and Grace Eyre’s history

s a young disabled disabilities to be valued and a time was often at a young age, How much harder then
person myself, it seems have a fulfilling life) seemingly or it could be seen as must it be for those who have
Athat many people lack envisaged a strict limit to suggesting that in Grace Eyre’s not just had significant
understanding that a person where and in what respects view, persons with learning contact with those they
with learning disabilities is they could be fulfilled with disabilities would ever remain support but also live with
still a person and thus has the their lives. children, and thus in her eyes those they support in
right, and may well have the For example, people lack significant capacity of cases where, at least to some
capacity, for growing in were often sent to farms independence of agency over extent, a change in the
independence and self- involving a very set pattern of their own lives and how they support needs of the
reliance within their lives. activities with little were fulfilled. person occurs. n
From my understanding in opportunity for growth
my new role at Grace Eyre, beyond the assigned tasks.
Grace Eyre herself seemed to Grace Eyre said:“I tell you, if
have struggled to appreciate you give a boy a man-sized
the growth of maturity given job, he performs it manfully. At
the loss of the sometimes- Tubwell Farm, they have grown
parental role and bond that is shoulders, all of them. But I
especially possible between now realise more than ever
those living with/supporting that commitment to these
24 hours a day and those children must be lifelong.”
receiving the support. This comment could mean
So Grace Eyre (while that Grace Eyre would never
celebrating the rights of value those coming into the Susan Street, who has lived in Shared Lives arrangements since 1957,
persons with learning organisation, which at this views the history exhibition at the project launch

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 35 No 3 | Spring 2022 29