Welcome to May’s edition of the Cordis Pulse – a monthly digest of key research and policy developments across the sectors in which Cordis Bright provides research and consultancy services, i.e. adult social care and health, children and young people's services, and criminal justice.

This month, we’re pleased to spotlight two pieces of work that reflect our ongoing focus on improving outcomes for children and families. First, our research for the Youth Endowment Fund and Department for Education has been published, exploring how children are referred and supported following arrest. The report identifies promising practice in trauma-informed diversion, as well as persistent challenges around mental health provision and neurodiversity. We were proud to share these findings at the YEF’s Diversion Conference in Birmingham.

We also reflect on our evaluation of the Healthy Communities Together programme, which examines the conditions that enable effective place-based partnerships across health, VCSE organisations, and local government. The final report will be published in July 2025, but early learning underscores the importance of flexibility, co-design, and transparent communication in building trust and achieving impact.

In this month’s edition, you’ll also find summaries of key publications on rising demand for temporary accommodation, ongoing challenges in children’s social care funding, the latest updates on sentencing reform and recurrent care proceedings, and new guidance around nutrition in early years settings.