Social prescribing as relational early intervention to improve children and young people's mental well-being: an interpretive descriptive qualitative study in the North of England.
Social prescribing may function as a relational early intervention that supports emotional stabilisation and re-engagement with education and social contexts for children and young people, with impact extending beyond direct recipients to reduce parental stress and improve family relationships.
Key Findings
Results
Children and young people who accessed social prescribing services reported feeling less emotional distress, lower levels of anxiety, and increased social confidence.
15 children and young people aged 8-17 years were interviewed using semistructured interviews
Participants had all accessed a new social prescribing service in the Northwest of England
Interviews took place both face to face and online
Five themes emerged describing perceived impact of the service and key mechanisms of how impact may have been achieved
Inductive reflexive thematic analysis outlined by Braun and Clarke was employed to analyse the data
Results
The impact of the social prescribing service extended beyond direct recipients, reducing parental stress, improving family interaction, and strengthening relationships.
27 parents and caregivers of children and young people who had accessed the service were interviewed
Parental stress reduction was identified as an outcome theme alongside improvements in family dynamics
The ripple effect to family members was identified as a key finding distinct from outcomes for the child or young person directly
Study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ)
Results
A trusting relationship with a link worker was identified as a key mechanism underpinning the perceived impact of the social prescribing service.
The relational dimension of social prescribing — specifically the bond formed with a link worker — was identified as central to how outcomes were achieved
This relational mechanism was described as enabling emotional stabilisation
The findings characterise social prescribing as functioning as a 'relational early intervention'
The study used an Interpretive Description (ID) approach as defined by Sally Thorne
Results
Learning cognitive coping strategies was identified as a second key mechanism through which the social prescribing service helped children and young people overcome emotional distress.
Cognitive coping strategies were described as tools that children and young people employed to manage emotional distress
These strategies were learned through the social prescribing intervention
Two key mechanisms were identified overall: the trusting link worker relationship and the learning of cognitive coping strategies
Five themes in total emerged from analysis
Results
Social prescribing was associated with re-engagement with education and social contexts among children and young people experiencing emotional difficulties.
Re-engagement with education was described as an outcome associated with emotional stabilisation facilitated by the service
Re-engagement with social contexts was also reported alongside educational re-engagement
The authors characterise social prescribing as potentially functioning as an 'early intervention' in this regard
The study noted barriers to accessing specialist mental health services, including long waiting times, as contextual factors motivating the adoption of social prescribing
Background
Mental health disorders among children and young people represent a substantial global public health concern, with long waiting times for specialist mental health services identified as a barrier that can exacerbate poor mental health.
The paper notes a recent increase in adoption of social prescribing to support children and young people in response to this concern
Evidence of social prescribing's impact on mental health in children and young people was described as 'limited' at the time of the study
This gap in evidence was identified as a key rationale for the study
The study formed part of an independent evaluation of the service
What This Means
This research studied how children, young people, and their families experienced a social prescribing service in Northwest England. Social prescribing involves connecting people to community-based activities and support — through a 'link worker' — rather than solely relying on clinical treatments. The study interviewed 15 children and young people aged 8–17, along with 27 parents and caregivers, to understand what difference the service made to their lives. Researchers found that young people reported feeling less anxious, less emotionally distressed, and more confident in social situations after using the service. They also found that children became more engaged with school and social life, and that the positive effects spread to the whole family, with parents reporting lower stress and better family relationships.
The study identified two key reasons why the service appeared to work: first, young people formed a trusting relationship with their link worker, which helped them feel safe enough to open up and stabilise emotionally; and second, they learned practical mental health coping strategies they could use on their own. This suggests that the human, relational element of social prescribing — not just the activities or referrals — may be a crucial ingredient in why it helps.
This research suggests that social prescribing could act as a valuable early intervention for children and young people who are struggling with their mental health, particularly given that long waiting times for specialist mental health services can leave young people without support for extended periods. However, the authors note that further research is needed to confirm these findings and measure effectiveness across different types of social prescribing services and settings, since this study was qualitative and based on a single service.
Thomson J, Hamer O, Feather J, Allen E, Kaehne A, Howarth M. (2026). Social prescribing as relational early intervention to improve children and young people's mental well-being: an interpretive descriptive qualitative study in the North of England.. BMJ open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-120561