Now Is The Time

How We're Embracing Inclusion at Ashton Care Group During National Inclusion Week 2025

As we're right in the heart of National Inclusion Week® 2025 (15-21 September), with this year's theme "Now Is The Time", we're taking action to ensure inclusion isn't just part of our values at Ashton Care Group—it's fundamental to delivering the highest quality care to every person we support.

Why "Now Is The Time" matters in care

After 40 years of caring for our community, we've learned that genuine inclusion transforms lives. When someone with complex mental health needs feels truly understood, when a family from a different cultural background sees their values respected in their loved one's care plan, when our diverse team of 125 staff members feels valued for their unique perspectives—that's when exceptional care happens.

In our sector, inclusion isn't just about workplace culture. It's about ensuring every resident, client, and family member receives care that honours who they are, where they come from, and what matters most to them.

What we're doing right now during National Inclusion Week

At Ashton Care Group, we're using this week to strengthen our commitment across all our services—from our three residential homes to our domiciliary care throughout West Sussex:

Listen: We're currently hosting sessions with our team members, residents, and families to better understand what inclusion means for them and where we can improve our approach to personalised care.

Measure: We're reviewing feedback from our CQC "Good" rated services, family satisfaction scores (9.4/10 at Ashton Manor, 9.8/10 for domiciliary care), and staff input to identify what's working and where gaps exist.

Act: We're implementing immediate improvements like enhanced cultural competency in care planning, accessible communication formats for families, and inclusive practices in our team meetings. We're also laying groundwork for longer-term changes in our recruitment approach and leadership development.

Share: We're amplifying voices from across our community—residents sharing their stories, families highlighting what matters to them, and team members from diverse backgrounds contributing their expertise to our care approach.

Our commitment beyond this week

While we're making the most of National Inclusion Week's spotlight, we see it as reinforcement of our ongoing commitment rather than a one-week initiative. As a family-run business, inclusion has always been part of our DNA—it's how we've built trust with families for over four decades.

We're committed to ensuring inclusion remains central to every care plan we create, every team member we welcome, and every family we support. Because in care, inclusion isn't just good practice—it's essential to dignity, wellbeing, and quality of life.

If you're part of this movement too, let's use the rest of this week to listen, learn, and most importantly, act. Because when it comes to inclusive care, now really is the time.