Health Professionals’ and Link Workers’ Perspectives on Social Prescribing for Adolescents 

Social prescribing is a non-medical, community-based service that supports people by linking them to non-clinical activities and services in their communities (e.g. exercise classes, art-based activities). Individuals are typically referred to a link worker in a social prescribing service by a healthcare professional. To date, most research on social prescribing has centred on adult populations, with less known about the role of social prescribing for adolescents’ health and wellbeing. Adapting the adult model of community-based social prescribing schemes to the youth context may however, present unique issues and challenges. This study therefore seeks to contribute to our understanding of social prescribing for children and adolescents by examining health professionals’ and link workers’ views on the possible barriers and facilitators to engaging and delivering social prescribing services to adolescents under 18 years of age. 

Funders

School of Medicine Research Seed Award

Research Team

Dr Margaret Lawler (PI), Professor Amanda Daley (Director of the Centre of Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour CLiMB, Loughborough University), Professor Deirdre Connolly (TCD)