June 2019
We have been the evaluation partner for a number of Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programmes (DAPPs), which form part of the wider response to domestic abuse.
Here we present the findings of our review of the literature regarding the principles of good practice in delivering DAPPs, based on guidance documents and existing evaluations. The review also discusses the robustness and challenges of the DAPP evaluations completed to date.
May 2019
This month we were interested to see the evaluation undertaken for Public Health Wales in relation to the routine enquiry into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The report presents some useful statistics about the profile of ACEs across the pilot areas. Combined with our research for a local authority in Wales it demonstrates how increasing number of ACEs can correlate with increasing need.
Our research suggests that this relationship is relatively weak, and there are exceptions: there are families with high numbers of ACEs but low current disadvantage, and families with high current disadvantage but low numbers of ACEs. We think more research is needed here. In particular, we need to understand how individuals experiencing risks as children can build resilience so that their children are less likely to experience poor outcomes.
Read more about new research and policy published this month by downloading the Pulse below.
April 2019
As BBC News reports that Four Seasons Health Care has entered administration, we examine where their care homes are located.
April 2019
April's Cordis Briefing covered the results of the viewfinder survey and the conclusions it offers about challenges and solutions in social care delivery; not-for-profit provider finances; further insights from the NHS ten year plan and implications for the sector; insights from CQC research into the state of mental health provision.
April 2019
A highlight of this edition is the Early Intervention Foundation’s report on effective practice in evaluating Early Help, which is a really valuable resource. In our experience of evaluating Early Help – and other initiatives – we think that the six principles are an excellent basis for measuring and understanding the impact that has been achieved.Based on our experience of delivering evaluations of Early Help, we were also pleased to see emphasis within the six principles on:
March 2019
With increasing public, political and media attention directed at knife crime and serious violence, we have produced a blog-post which discusses the promise of taking a public health approach to addressing the issue. The full blog can be seen here.
Linked to this are the new Standards for children in the Youth Justice System 2019 which the Ministry of Justice and the Youth Justice Board have launched to replace the 2013 standards. The Government says that it is committed to maintaining a distinct Youth Justice System which delivers justice for those who are victims whilst also rehabilitating offenders. The principle of “child first” and “offender second” is a key feature of these new standards.
The five standards cover practice: (1) out of court disposals; (2) at court; (3) in the community (court disposals), (4) in secure settings, and (5) on transition and resettlement. They are intended to guide strategic and operational services’ understanding of what is expected, but do not prescribe the services that should be designed and delivered. This provides Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) with an opportunity to shape how the standards will be delivered and will give them scope to adhere to the minimum standards or go above and beyond (where needed) depending on local priorities.
Cordis Bright has advised Youth Offending Team Boards in scoping these new standards in conjunction with their strategic National Probation Service (NPS) representative; their expertise will be invaluable in ensuring that YOTs deliver in the best way to meet the needs of children and young people in their area.
The YJB have a duty to have oversight of the standards to determine whether services are demonstrating accountability, improvements and showing evidence of impact and influence. This is where we can help, by assisting in developing/ revising local protocols for all five standards, or by way of case file audit. We are currently able to offer a service of auditing two cases over the course of a day against the new standards at no cost, in order to give you a flavour of the power of case file auditing. If you would you like to discuss this further or take up this option please contact Kam Kaur on 07919 483968 or via email: kamkaur@cordisbright.co.uk.
Read more by downloading the Pulse below.
March 2019
We’ve been hearing a lot about violence, especially knife violence, over the last few weeks and months. Reports of deaths from knife crime are multiplying in the news, with reports that the number of teenagers killed with a knife has almost doubled in the last five years, and that at least ten have died so far in 2019 alone (4 March 2019).
Unsurprisingly, the immediate public response has been urgent and upset. Commentators are focussed on the need for more effective police enforcement to stop knife crime, even going as far as saying it should be treated as a national security crisis. Perhaps more unexpected is the reaction of ministers: Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in the Spring Statement last week (13 March) that an extra £100 million would be released for police enforcement against knife crime in England and Wales. There is no denying that this cash injection will be welcome after years of budget cuts for police. However, the £100 million falls short of the amount requested by police chiefs and is unlikely to be enough to address the root causes of knife crime and youth violence – especially given rising evidence that criminal justice interventions are ‘both damaging and disproportionate’.
For a realistic long-term strategy, we look to a different approach, which has been gaining traction in the world of prevention. As reported in a review of the evidence published last year by the LGA, with support from Cordis Bright, the public health approach to reducing violence offers a realistic alternative to tackling the violence problem, with a growing body of evidence to support interventions that look at violence from the public health perspective.
Download the blog below for further information.
March 2019
Cordis Bright’s digital security has been given a clean bill of health as our hardware, systems and online security networks received accreditation at the level of Cyber Essentials Plus. This scheme was instigated by the Government’s call for a benchmarked organisational standard in cyber security. Our systems were rigorously scrutinised by a third party and our successful certification demonstrates to clients that their data is always protected at the highest level of security.
For further information please click here.
March 2019
The Cordis Podcast provides a concise and accessible insight into key issues across a broad range of social sectors, including children and young people's services, adult social care, criminal justice, community healthcare and the independent sector. Each episode addresses a different topic through interviews with our own research and consultancy team as well as insight from relevant experts within the field.
In this episode, Hannah Marshall interviews Cordis Bright Consultant Emma Van Oss on the topic of integration in services for substance misuse treatment. It looks to understand what more services can do to effectively transition those affected by substance misuse from prison to community services.
You can listen on SoundCloud here.
February 2019
The human and financial cost of domestic abuse is explored in a Home Office report published this month. We regularly undertake research and evaluations on domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and girls: for central government, local authorities, police and crime commissioners, and independent sector organisations. For instance, we are undertaking research with victims, users of violence, and children about the impact of domestic abuse and whether and how new Department for Education Social Care Innovation Programme projects are helping to improve outcomes. We are also conducting evaluations of a regional whole-system response to domestic abuse, a regional perpetrator programme as well as victims needs assessments which focus on domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and girls.
As the Home Office report makes clear, the financial cost of domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and girls – to individuals, to services and to communities as a whole – is huge (and for an interesting perspective on these numbers listen to More or Less on BBC Radio 4). We are helping to identify how new programmes and approaches can offer taxpayers value for money. That said, what is clear from our research is that the human cost of domestic violence is massive. That alone should be sufficient motivation to invest significant resources in evidence-based programmes and approaches that tackle domestic abuse when it occurs and also work to prevent it from arising in the first place.
The Cordis Briefing is a subscription service for independent sector providers of adult social care and supported housing.
Learn moreAn in-depth look at some of Cordis Bright's work: best practice evidence reviews.
Learn moreThe Cordis Pulse is our monthly digest of policy, practice and research developments.
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