Welcome to AshDHD Learning
Stop Inconsistent Care. Start Building Confident, Ofsted Ready Teams
I’m Ash Derges, founder of AshDHD Learning. I develop evidence-informed care frameworks that give supported accommodation teams the structure they need to work consistently and confidently.
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AshDHD Learning equips supported accommodation staff and leaders with trauma-informed, neurodivergent-smart frameworks and tools that create consistency, dignity and meaningful change for young people.
Welcome to AshDHD
As a Former Care Professional and Looked After Child, I’ve Lived Your Problem
Managing a supported accommodation service is relentless. Leaders are balancing staff turnover, regulatory scrutiny and complex needs all while trying to maintain consistency, safety and quality across shifts.
What’s often missing isn’t commitment or compassion. It’s structure.
Generic training alone doesn’t solve inconsistency. What’s needed is a clear system that embeds good practice into daily operations and holds it there, even under pressure.
That gap is what led to the development of SPARK Care and SWIFT+R frameworks. They are practical, frontline-informed frameworks designed to support consistent, dignity-led care in real-world settings.
A Clear Framework for Measurable Improvement
SPARK Care™ and SWIFT+R™ are not training courses. They are structured, repeatable practice frameworks designed to address the root causes of inconsistency in supported accommodation.
- SPARK Care is a six-part practice and leadership framework that aligns staff teams around predictable, trauma-informed responses in everyday interactions.
- SWIFT+R is a six-step crisis-response framework that supports safe de-escalation, regulation and repair when situations escalate.
Together, they provide a shared language and structure that supports staff confidence, reduces escalation and protects dignity.
Frameworks Designed for Real World Pressure
AshDHD Learning supports leaders and teams across supported accommodation and semi-independent services.
- Registered Managers use SPARK Care™ to build consistent teams, reduce day-to-day pressure and demonstrate quality in practice.
- Service Directors use SPARK Care™ to align leadership and practice across multiple settings through a single, coherent framework.
- Commissioners value the clarity SPARK Care™ provides in evidencing how trauma-informed and neurodivergent-informed practice is delivered consistently.
What We Do
Ashley Derges - Founder
Ashley Derges is the founder of AshDHD Learning.
Her work is shaped by a combination of frontline professional experience in supported accomodation and residential care, alongside lived experience of the care system as a looked after child with ADHD.
Ashley’s background includes working as a Support Worker in supported Accomodation progressing into Assistant Management roles within children's residential care. This experience gave her a clear understanding of the daily pressures faced by staff and leaders - from managing complex needs and staff turnover to maintaining consistency under regulatory scrutiny.
AshDHD Learning and the SPARK Care™ framework were created to provide the structured, practical support that was missing - both from Ashley’s perspective as a young person in care and later as a professional working within the system.
AshDHD Knowledge Hub
Reducing Escalations in Young People with Autism and ADHD
Barriers to ND Adaptation in Care Staff Why It Happens and How to Fix It
FAQs
Q: What is SPARK Care?
A: SPARK Care™ is a neurodivergent, trauma-informed care framework designed for supported accommodation and semi-independent services. It provides staff teams with a clear, repeatable structure for daily practice and crisis response, supporting consistency, dignity and emotional safety.
Q: Who is SPARK Care Designed for?
A: SPARK Care™ is designed for supported accommodation providers, semi-independent services and leaders supporting neurodivergent and trauma-affected young people aged 16–18. It is suitable for non-clinical staff teams and managers.
Q: How is the Training Delivered?
A: All SPARK Care™ training is delivered digitally through an online platform. Staff access pre-recorded training modules, downloadable tools and resources that can be completed at their own pace. There is no live training or in-person delivery.
Q: Is This a One-Off Course or Ongoing Support?
A: SPARK Care™ is not a one-off course. Access is provided on a subscription basis, allowing teams to onboard new staff, revisit training and maintain consistency over time.
Q: Does SPARK Care Include Live Coaching or Consultancy?
A: No. SPARK Care™ does not include live coaching, consultancy or case-by-case support. The framework is designed to be staff-led and provider-owned, supported by clear tools and shared language rather than external facilitation.
Q: Is SPARK Care OFSTED Approved or Accredited?
A: No. Ofsted does not accredit, approve or endorse training programmes, frameworks or providers.
SPARK Care™ is not an Ofsted product and does not provide accreditation or guarantee inspection outcomes. Instead, it is designed to support providers in evidencing consistent, trauma-informed and neurodivergent-informed practice within existing regulatory and quality assurance frameworks.
SPARK Care™ helps services demonstrate how values, policies and training are translated into daily practice which supports inspection and commissioning conversations without replacing regulatory responsibility.
Q: What Makes SPARK Care Different from Other Trauma-Informed Training?
A: SPARK Care™ focuses on structure and consistency, not just awareness. It translates trauma-informed and neurodivergent-informed principles into practical, repeatable actions that staff can use on every shift, including during moments of escalation.
Q: Can SPARK Care Support Neurotypical Young People as well as Neurodivergent Young People?
A: Yes. While SPARK Care™ is designed with neurodivergent needs in mind, the framework supports all young people.
The principles that underpin SPARK Care™ (predictability, reduced demand, dignity, co-regulation and repair) benefit neurotypical and neurodivergent young people alike. In mixed settings, this often leads to calmer environments, more consistent staff responses and improved relationships across the whole service.
SPARK Care™ is neurodivergent-informed by design but its impact extends across the entire care environment.
Q: How Many Staff Can Access the Platform?
A: Each subscription covers one supported accommodation setting with access for up to six staff members and one manager. Additional staff licences can be added if required.
Q: How Quickly Can We Get Started?
A: Once access is set up, staff can begin training immediately. There is no fixed start date or cohort schedule, allowing providers to implement SPARK Care™ at a pace that fits their operational needs.
Q: Is SPARK Care Suitable for Children's Homes or Other Settings?
A: SPARK Care™ is currently designed and positioned for supported accommodation and semi-independent services. Adaptations for other settings may be explored in the future.