ORCID
- Lucy Cartwright: 0000-0001-8733-1379
- Kerryn Husk: 0000-0001-5674-8673
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social prescribing (SP) initiatives which aim to connect individuals to community-based assets have received increased research and policy attention, however schemes have mostly centred on adults. There is little research examining how social prescribing might work for children and young people (CYP), and specifically, what pathways into social prescribing look like for this group.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic mapping review to understand what social prescribing pathways look like for CYP. Searches were carried out in February 2022. We reviewed published journal articles and grey literature on pathways for CYP accessing activities or services in the community. We synthesised studies through tabulation and narrative descriptions of similarities and differences.
RESULTS: We identified 14,518 unique hits through electronic database searches, and an additional 230 through grey literature searches. Following exclusions at title/abstract and full text stage, a total of 35 articles from the database searches and 33 sources from the grey literature search were included in the review.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Included papers described a broad range of approaches, cohorts, implementation, and roles included in services. Pathways into SP for CYP seem to vary from the adult SP model, which primarily utilises a primary care pathway, with referrals for CYP SP mostly through educational institutions but also through GPs and self-referral. Link workers or another 'linking function' was often (but not always) involved in the pathway. Future research should examine how and in what ways particular cohorts access, or not, these sorts of pathways, the economic impact, and examine any potential risks or harms that might be associated with CYP-SP.
FUNDING: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (project reference MH003).
TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022312745.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2025-10-15
Publication Title
BMC Public Health
Volume
25
Issue
1
ISSN
1472-698X
Acceptance Date
2025-08-12
Deposit Date
2025-10-16
Funding
This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (project reference MH003).
Keywords
Adolescent, Child, Humans, Social Prescribing
Recommended Citation
Mitchell, S., Cartwright, L., Gude, A., Bethel, A., Hunt, H., Smith, J., Hayes, D., Bertotti, M., Jarvis-Beesley, P., Berry, V., & Husk, K. (2025) 'The use of social prescribing and community-based wellbeing activities as a potential prevention and early intervention pathway to improve adolescent emotional and social development: a systematic mapping review', BMC Public Health, 25(1). Available at: 10.1186/s12889-025-24413-5
