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

Siobhan B. Mitchell; Lucy Cartwright; Alex Gude; Alison Bethel; Harriet Hunt; Jane R. Smith; Daniel Hayes; Marcello Bertotti; Paul Jarvis-Beesley; Vashti Berry; Kerryn Husk

doi:10.1186/s12889-025-24413-5

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

Siobhan B. Mitchell
, Lucy Cartwright
, Alex Gude
, Alison Bethel
, Harriet Hunt
, Jane R. Smith
, Daniel Hayes
, Marcello Bertotti
, Paul Jarvis-Beesley
, Vashti Berry
, Kerryn Husk

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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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.

Original language	English
Article number	3495
Journal	BMC Public Health
Volume	25
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-24413-5
Publication status	Published - 15 Oct 2025

Keywords

Adolescent
Child
Humans
Social Prescribing

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s12889-025-24413-5Final published version, 1.46 MB

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Mitchell, S. B., Cartwright, L., Gude, A., Bethel, A., Hunt, H., Smith, J. R., 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), Article 3495. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-24413-5

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title = "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",

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.",

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year = "2025",

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day = "15",

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Mitchell, SB, Cartwright, L , Gude, A, Bethel, A, Hunt, H, Smith, JR, 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, vol. 25, no. 1, 3495. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-24413-5

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. / Mitchell, Siobhan B.; Cartwright, Lucy ; Gude, Alex et al.
In: BMC Public Health, Vol. 25, No. 1, 3495, 15.10.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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T1 - 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

AU - Mitchell, Siobhan B.

AU - Cartwright, Lucy

AU - Gude, Alex

AU - Bethel, Alison

AU - Hunt, Harriet

AU - Smith, Jane R.

AU - Hayes, Daniel

AU - Bertotti, Marcello

AU - Jarvis-Beesley, Paul

AU - Berry, Vashti

AU - Husk, Kerryn

PY - 2025/10/15

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N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Child

KW - Humans

KW - Social Prescribing

UR - https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/pms-research/1911/

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DO - 10.1186/s12889-025-24413-5

M3 - Article

C2 - 41094654

SN - 1471-2458

VL - 25

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

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M1 - 3495

ER -

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

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