DH Associates

DH Associates Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Kim Bleasdale, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Hooton Business Centre Hooton Cheshire CH66 7NZ Monitoring visit: DH Associates, 25 and 26 June 2025

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Context and focus of visit

DH Associates was inspected in June 2024. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 671 apprentices in learning. Three hundred and eighty-seven were studying level 4 children, young people and families practitioner, 110 were studying level 5 children, young people and families manager, 59 were studying level 3 lead adult care worker, 44 were studying level 5 leader in adult care, 33 were studying level 4 lead practitioner in adult care and 26 were studying level 2 adult care worker. The remaining apprentices were studying level 5 operations or departmental manager, level 3 business administrator, teaching assistant and team leader or supervisor apprenticeship standards.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have increased the number of apprentices who stay on and achieve their apprenticeship. However, although this number has improved, there are still too many apprentices now at their final assessments who have not completed their apprenticeship on time. The number of apprentices who now achieve merit and distinction grades in their final assessments has increased slightly to almost three quarters.

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Reasonable progress

Most trainers now use information about what apprentices already know and can do effectively to plan individualised apprenticeships. At the start of the apprenticeship, trainers now ensure that apprentices complete a skills scan assessment that specifically aligns with each apprenticeship. This gives Monitoring visit: DH Associates, 25 and 26 June 2025 trainers clear information to plan an individualised programme so apprentices develop the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours for work. For example, trainers teach conflict management earlier in the curriculum to those level 5 leader in adult care apprentices whose employers specifically request this. The medication module is brought forward in the curriculum so that level 4 children, young people and families practitioner apprentices can support children with their specific healthcare needs. Following the previous inspection, leaders have improved the process to assess

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Reasonable progress

apprentices’ English and mathematical starting points. Leaders changed to a new online assessment tool that provides resources to learners based on the outcomes of their English and mathematics assessment. In addition, leaders now ensure that all apprentices complete this assessment with an invigilator present, which was previously not the case. Leaders and trainers now have assurance that assessment results are more accurate than before. Trainers continue to meet the individual needs of apprentices who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For instance, trainers provide apprentices with appropriately coloured overlays to facilitate reading and understanding, break learning down into smaller chunks and arrange for extra time or a reader in examinations. Trainers have in place a new process to revisit skills scans at six- and twelve-month points in each apprenticeship. This will enable trainers to monitor more accurately

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Reasonable progress

the progress that apprentices make towards the development of their knowledge, skills and behaviours from their starting points. As yet, it is too early to assess the impact of this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that trainers now meet with apprentices once they have completed their assessment of English and mathematics at the start of their apprenticeship. Trainers make sure apprentices know about the expected behaviours for their functional skills online lessons such as attendance, punctuality, having cameras on, wearing appropriate dress and having a suitable background environment. Apprentices clearly know these expectations and routinely demonstrate these in online sessions. Following the previous inspection, leaders made attendance at functional skills sessions mandatory. While attendance is steadily improving for those apprentices who have chosen to continue with their functional skills English and mathematics qualifications, it is still not high enough. Trainers continue to make sure that their functional skills taught sessions provide apprentices with the appropriate opportunities to develop specific English and

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: DH Associates, 25 and 26 June 2025 mathematical skills relevant to their workplace. For example, level 5 children, young people and families manager apprentices estimate the total cost of meals in a children’s home per child per week, and level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices accurately calculate an individual’s daily fluid intake. Leaders have introduced individualised functional skills action plans. Trainers now set specific targets for both apprentices and employers to improve aspects of English and/or mathematics, such as practising calculations relating to correct medication dosage or the number of boxes of gloves to order at work. Trainers monitor closely whether these targets have been completed. This enables most apprentices to develop their English and mathematical skills more quickly than before. Compared to this time last year, when a considerable number of apprentices were

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Reasonable progress

unable to complete their apprenticeship because they could not pass their functional skills examinations, there are now no apprentices with this barrier to achievement.

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Reasonable progress

Most trainers now work closely with apprentices and their mentors to effectively coordinate on- and off-the-job training. Leaders have provided relevant training to trainers. Trainers know the crucial importance of ensuring they fully involve apprentices’ mentors in this process. Leaders have strengthened their high expectations of apprentices’ mentors. Mentors must now attend an initial meeting to understand the role of the mentor in organising activities for apprentices to practise their skills at work. They are now required to provide trainers with the dates of their workplace mandatory training. Most trainers use this information to adapt the curriculum so that apprentices learn in a timely manner, the key knowledge linked to their workplace training, for example in relation to safeguarding, administering medication or manual handling techniques. Most mentors now routinely attend their apprentices’ progress reviews. After each

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Reasonable progress

training session, trainers now send mentors information on what they have taught apprentices. Consequently, most mentors make sure that apprentices can apply at work what they have learned in their training. For instance, level 4 children, young people and families practitioner apprentices learn how to gain the views of children with SEND. Mentors arrange opportunities at work for apprentices to apply this learning by creating picture sheets for children with, for example, autism to help them choose the activities they wish to do or choose the food they would like to eat. Monitoring visit: DH Associates, 25 and 26 June 2025

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Significant progress

Mentors now ensure that all apprentices receive the protected study time they need. They proactively and routinely check that apprentices complete the work set and that apprentices record accurately their off-the-job hours and activities. Mentors frequently adjust work rotas to include protected study time. They provide quiet study spaces at work and allow apprentices to work from home. This means that apprentices have uninterrupted time away from the workplace to focus on their studies. Apprentices appreciate this support from their mentors. Immediately following the previous inspection, leaders systematically met with all employers and/or apprentices’ mentors to discuss and reinforce the expectations for them to provide apprentices with protected study time. Almost all employers were receptive to this, and leaders ceased to work with a few employers who could not commit to this expectation. Leaders now expect all new apprentices’ mentors to attend the initial meetings to

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Significant progress

make sure they are fully aware of their role and responsibilities. If a mentor does not attend, the apprentice is not enrolled on the apprenticeship until leaders have met with the mentor. Leaders now hold trainers fully to account to ensure apprentices receive their protected study time. They provided training on how to communicate effectively to mentors the critical importance of ensuring their apprentices have protected study time. Trainers are now more confident to discuss this with mentors. Leaders now meet with trainers on a weekly basis to swiftly identify any apprentices who are either not receiving their protected study time or who are not logging their off-the- job hours and activities. Trainers take immediate and effective remedial action.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have provided trainers with a series of training sessions on how to give helpful feedback that tells apprentices what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their work. This training has resulted in the large majority of trainers now providing helpful feedback to apprentices. Leaders have planned further training sessions for a small minority of trainers. Apprentices appreciate the useful feedback they receive from their trainers. They know specifically what they need to do to improve their work. For instance, in an assignment about oral care for adults, level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices benefit from helpful feedback to include how the ‘6 C’s of care’ link to adult residents’ oral care. Most trainers include helpful feedback about apprentices’ spelling, Monitoring visit: DH Associates, 25 and 26 June 2025 punctuation and grammar. In most cases, apprentices make the appropriate changes

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Reasonable progress

and improve their work based on this helpful feedback.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently introduced a newly created careers workbook for apprentices to complete. The workbook includes a range of topics such as career goals, writing a CV, how to prepare for an interview and sources of information for employment and higher education. Apprentices complete this workbook throughout their apprenticeship. However, it is too soon to assess the impact of this. During the induction process, trainers provide apprentices with information on the range of careers pathways in their chosen sector. This includes further study at higher levels, other roles in health and social care such as safeguarding officers, and advocacy workers or youth support in children’s settings. Most trainers have useful discussions with apprentices who are nearing the end of their apprenticeship about their next steps. They discuss different job roles such as inspecting, teaching or moving into supervisory or management roles. Most

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Reasonable progress

apprentices say these conversations help them to make informed decisions about what they want to do after completing their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are resolute in their actions to strengthen the quality of education. They are honest in their evaluation of the current strengths and weaknesses relating to the areas for improvement highlighted in their previous inspection report. Following their inspection, leaders made a carefully considered decision to reduce apprentice recruitment to focus efforts on improving the quality of education for apprentices. Leaders’ quality assurance and improvement processes support them in making effective improvements. For instance, the large majority of trainers now provide effective feedback to apprentices, attendance has improved to functional skills lessons and most trainers now use apprentices’ starting points more effectively. Leaders have provided a range of training on effective use of starting points, providing helpful feedback and effective planning and coordinating of on- and off- the-job training. However, this training has not yet had the full desired impact.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have identified a few members of staff who still need to be supported to improve their skills in using apprentices’ starting points and providing helpful feedback to apprentices. Monitoring visit: DH Associates, 25 and 26 June 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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