Children’s charity Barnardo’s is urging the UK government to implement a national strategy for “social prescribing” for young people in England, as the nation grapples with a youth mental health crisis and unprecedented demand on child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs).
Social prescribing involves offering non-clinical treatments to children experiencing mental health problems, such as isolation, anxiety, low mood, and low self-esteem, to prevent these issues from escalating into more serious conditions. It can include activities like encouraging young people to visit a local park or enroll in group activities, creative hobbies, sports, and more. Referrals are made through GPs, teachers, and local authorities, and link workers match children with local services, resolve barriers to access, and provide emotional support.
Barnardo’s believes that social prescribing can help turn young people’s lives around and prevent them from needing clinical NHS services. It argues that children and young people often wait for months or even years to receive the help they need, and their conditions worsen during this time.
While the benefits of social prescribing are recognized, the charity points out that current models and training for link workers are inconsistent and fragmented across the country, with a focus on adults and no dedicated funding streams for children.
Barnardo’s calculated that every £1 spent on social prescribing delivers long-term benefits of about £1.80, reducing pressure on mental health services and indirectly impacting antisocial behavior, A&E hospital presentations, housing problems, child welfare, and school truancy. Social prescribing could potentially reduce the need for GP appointments by 2.5-3% annually, or 2.8 million-3 million appointments.
The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the role of social prescribing in reducing waiting lists and has recruited social prescribing link workers to connect people with services that support their health and well-being.
