Social Prescribing for Children and Youth: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Social prescribing is gaining traction globally, with over 30 countries involved in the social prescribing movement. This holistic approach to health and well-being is relevant to all ages, but it is especially important for children and youth. While this population has largely been neglected in social prescribing efforts, several evaluations of social prescribing programs specifically targeting this population have emerged in recent years, which calls for a review of the evidence on this topic. Thus, the objective of this scoping review was to map the evidence on the use of social prescribing for children and youth. This review was conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The search strategy aimed to locate both published and unpublished literature via 12 databases, Google, Google Scholar, Social Care Online, SIREN Evidence and Resource Library, websites of social prescribing organizations and networks, and a request for evidence sources to members of the International Social Prescribing Collaborative. No language or date restrictions were placed on the search. Two independent reviewers performed title and abstract screening, retrieval and assessment of full-text evidence sources, and data extraction. Data analysis consisted of basic descriptive analysis. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, including three mixed methods studies, two rapid evidence reviews, two qualitative studies, one uncontrolled before-and-after study, and one randomized clinical trial. All studies were published between 2020 and 2024. Evidently, social prescribing for children and youth is still in its infancy, with an evidence base that is limited in both quantity and quality. However, the existing evidence is promising, offering a starting point to build a robust evidence base, which calls for research and practice advancements in social prescribing for children and youth.