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Art Therapy and Mental Health · Journal article
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · July 9, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This non-randomised controlled trial of youth social prescribing during CAMHS waiting periods shows no improvement in anxiety or depression symptoms but demonstrates significant benefits for emotional and behavioural difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, prosocial behaviour, and resilience, with no safety concerns observed. The selective benefit pattern suggests social prescribing may address functional and behavioural impairments distinct from internalising symptoms during delayed access to specialist care.
Multi-site non-randomised controlled trial with embedded hybrid type II implementation-effectiveness evaluation. Young people aged 11–18 years referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in England; enrolled across 11 CAMHS services.. Intervention: Social prescribing with Link Worker support, averaging 5 sessions per participant. Compared with: Usual care (standard CAMHS pathway without social prescribing). n = 558. 11 CAMHS services in England.
558 participants enrolled (333 social prescribing, 225 usual care) across 11 CAMHS sites between May 2023 and March 2025 No significant differences in anxiety or depression symptoms between social prescribing and usual care Significant improvements in total emotional and behavioural difficulties in social prescribing group, driven by reductions in conduct difficulties, hyperactivity and peer problems
No intervention-related adverse events observed; average 5 sessions with Link Worker
Clinicians considering social prescribing as an adjunct during CAMHS waiting periods should recognize its potential to address behavioural and resilience outcomes, though it does not appear to reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms. The lack of harm and functional improvements make it a potentially safe addition to standard pathways, but it should not be viewed as a substitute for symptom-focused interventions for internalising disorders.
Non-randomised controlled trial with 558 participants shows selective improvements in behavioural and resilience outcomes but not primary anxiety/depression endpoints; safety established but design limitations and mixed results limit strength.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians considering social prescribing as an adjunct during CAMHS waiting periods should recognize its potential to address behavioural and resilience outcomes, though it does not appear to reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms. The lack of harm and functional improvements make it a potentially safe addition to standard pathways, but it should not be viewed as a substitute for symptom-focused interventions for internalising disorders.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Prolonged waiting times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) leave many young people without structured support while awaiting specialist treatment. Social prescribing has been proposed as a community-based adjunct within CAMHS pathways; however, evidence regarding its safety and clinical impact remains limited. Wellbeing While Waiting was a multi-site non-randomised controlled trial embedded within a hybrid type II implementation-effectiveness evaluation conducted across 11 CAMHS in England. The protocol was prospectively published prior to recruitment (BMC Psychiatry; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04758-0 ). Between May 2023 and March 2025, 558 young people aged 11-18 years referred to CAMHS were enrolled (225 usual care; 333 social prescribing). Primary outcomes were anxiety and depression symptoms, total emotional and behavioural difficulties, and perceived stress. Secondary outcomes included resilience and wellbeing. No intervention-related adverse events were observed. On average, participants had 5 sessions with a Link Worker. Compared with usual care, no significant differences were observed in anxiety or depression symptoms. However, participants receiving social prescribing demonstrated significant improvements in total emotional and behavioural difficulties over six months, driven by reductions in conduct difficulties, hyperactivity and peer problems. Significant improvements for those receiving social prescribing were also found for prosocial behaviour and resilience. Within routine CAMHS pathways, no intervention-related adverse events were observed for social prescribing, and social prescribing was associated with improvements in behavioural and resilience-related outcomes, although not in anxiety or depressive symptoms. Findings suggest social prescribing may offer a valuable adjunct during delayed access to specialist treatment, with effects distinct from symptom-focused clinical therapies.
Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.