NEWTON Abbot MP Martin Wrigley demonstrated his support for Teignbridge-based charity Shared Lives South West by hosting an event in Parliament to showcase the organisation’s innovative approach to adult social care.

Shared Lives South West – rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission – supports adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and age-related conditions by matching them with trained carers.

The carers open their homes to provide personalised support that promotes independence, in a model often likened to adult fostering.

MPs from across the political spectrum attended, including Jeremy Corbyn of Your Party and Conservative Kit Malthouse.

Liberal Democrat MP Mr Wrigley opened the event at which Labour MP Anna Dixon praised the care model.

Shared Lives South West CEO Dominic Spayne and carer Ian Richardson delivered keynote talks, joined by Shared Lives Plus CEO Ewan King and representatives from Shared Lives organisations across the country.

Mr Wrigley has been a committed advocate for the charity since meeting Mr Spayne on a podcast 18 months ago.

Since then, he has hosted a meeting with the organisation in his constituency office and visited a Shared Lives household in Dawlish to see the model in action.

He said: ‘The Shared Lives model is a win-win solution for social care with proven and known benefits for carers and the people in need of care.

‘I believe more local authorities should be working to support this model for social care across the UK.’