When 15-year-old Maya (not her real name) started attending a local karate club through something called "social prescribing," she didn't expect it to change much. But a few months later, she found herself opening up to her mother and teachers about her feelings — something she struggled with before.
"I think one of the things that has changed is if my mum or someone at school asked me about how I'm feeling, I think I'm a lot more open to discussing it," Maya said in the study.
Maya is one of more than 550 teenagers ages 11–18 who took part in a study by University College London (UCL) researchers. All were waiting to see specialists at child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) — the main mental health services for young people in England. The research, published in the journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, wanted to know whether connecting young people to activities like art classes, book clubs, or nature walks could help while they waited for treatment.
As of late 2024, more than 350,000 children and young people were waiting for specialist mental health care in England. Average wait times stretched to just under eight months — a long time for a young person struggling with their mental health.
The UCL team compared two groups: one that received social prescribing referrals while waiting, and one that did not. Social prescribing works by connecting people to a "link worker" — someone who listens to what the young person needs and helps them find activities in their community. In this study, link workers helped young people join karate clubs, art classes, Pokémon tournaments, book clubs, and nature-wandering clubs. Some even planned day trips with friends.
The results were encouraging. Young people who received social prescribing reported improved behavior, including fewer conduct difficulties. They also said their relationships got better and they felt more confident solving problems and more hopeful about themselves.
"I was more comfortable around people," one participant said. Another described how their link worker "really helped me get back into social groups and social settings."
One young person put it simply: "It felt like someone was listening, and [my social prescriber] always turned up and actually cared."
Amanda Thompson, a link worker at Sunderland Counseling Service, has seen this firsthand. "What may seem like small steps to others can represent significant achievements and personal progress for a young person," she said. "Seeing a young person who may have previously struggled socially begin to engage in clubs, develop hobbies, learn new skills, build friendships and grow in confidence is incredibly rewarding."
Lead author Dr. Daniel Hayes from UCL said the findings suggest social prescribing can be a valuable source of support during the waiting period — helping young people strengthen relationships and improve day-to-day functioning.
Professor Daisy Fancourt, the study's senior author, emphasized that social prescribing isn't meant to replace actual treatment. But she sees it as a way to make the waiting time meaningful. "Instead of merely 'waiting,' young people and their families can engage in activities that may help them be more 'treatment ready' when they reach the end of the waiting list," she said.
For young people like those in the study, having something to do while waiting — a place to belong, a hobby to explore, someone who actually shows up — can make all the difference.