A new evidence review on social prescribing for children and young people has been published by the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP). Social prescribing connects people to activities, groups, and support, that can improve health and wellbeing. Whilst it can benefit people of all ages, historically there has been less emphasis on the impact this can have for children and young people.
The new review, commissioned by NHS England, highlights emerging evidence that social prescribing is beneficial for young people (particularly those over 17) on personal and mental wellbeing, including loneliness.
The review also identifies several gaps in evidence. NASP already supports a number of projects which aim to address these, including PenARC’s CHOICES Project which is exploring the role social prescribing can play in prevention and early intervention in mental health.
Alongside the review, NASP carried out a survey with professionals involved in children and young people’s social prescribing, including link workers, providers, and commissioners. It found that:
- Link workers reported feeling less confident working with younger people and families.
- A broad range of venues are being used for social prescribing, with the majority reporting schools and community settings.
- Voluntary sector, primary care and local authority stakeholders were equally represented in these services, but Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, education, and legal/welfare services were less well represented.
Dr Kerryn Husk, PenARC Associate Professor of Health Services Research, said:
“Social prescribing is written into policy as an all-age offer, but we know there has been limited uptake from children and young people. This new evidence briefing for the National Academy for Social Prescribing brings together the evidence from the existing literature and a survey of stakeholders to highlight the ways in which social prescribing might be useful for that population.”
Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said:
“Social prescribing can play an important role in supporting young people who are struggling with their mental health, by connecting them to non-medical support that makes a huge difference. Link workers have time to understand young people’s needs and what matters to them, and then work with them to create a personalised plan.
“This could mean helping them to take part in new social activities that give them a sense of belonging, or helping them get support for problems with housing, benefits or addiction. It can also help young people get support for physical health issues, including diabetes or obesity.
“While there are some amazing services being set up around the country, evidence is still emerging about how to implement them most effectively. In particular, supporting children and young people means taking into account their wider support network – whether that’s parents, carers, schools, youth groups or mental health services – and ensuring that the right people are involved.
“Social prescribing has enormous potential for this age-group, and there will be lots of opportunities to learn from the projects that are developing across the country.”