Development and Evaluation of a Social Prescribing Model for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) At Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

In response to current challenges in service provision for, and access to, children and young people’s mental health interventions, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital is developing and implementing a new social prescribing framework and intervention for their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This PhD research will map out and examine the impact of this social prescribing activity directly on children and young people’s mental health, as well as considering the impact on their families. The PhD will also examine the care pathways between the service for young people and diverse local community youth services across the wider Liverpool City Region. This will include examining how waiting times and engagement pathways are impacted on to improve the speed of access to mental health interventions for children and young people. A focus on developing best practice and examining frameworks of delivery will offer a much-needed contribution to the evidence base on social prescribing for young people’s mental health. This will help to ascertain the utility and development of a robust framework for a social prescribing model for children and young people accessing NHS mental health services, and in doing so inform the development of a sustainable social prescribing model for CAMHS.

Working collaboratively with Alder Hey CAMHS, this research will utilise a recently developed Theory of Change to explore:

1. How to better address the needs of children and young people presenting to CAMHS

2. Best practice for integrating social prescribing in a CAMHS setting,

3. How to better utilise community networks and assets to broaden the range of opportunities that positively impact upon children and young people’s mental health (and their families),

4. The development of recommendations for a model of social prescribing that will equip Alder Hey CAMHS to better respond to the increasing demand on services.

The project will consist of three phases using a mixed-method approach, to examine and evaluate the process and effectiveness of the CAMHS social prescribing model, ultimately aiming to map understanding of outcomes and contextual factors that determine effectiveness. The three phases include:

1.    Refinement of a logic model and development of evaluation methods

2.    Critical analysis of delivery and implementation practices (e.g., stakeholder experiences of implementation, barriers/facilitators to engagement, outcome measures)

3.    Sustainability impact evaluation of the model (e.g., mechanisms of change, reach, acceptability, outcomes, impact on waiting lists)

We are seeking a highly motivated student, who also has personal skills that are conducive to accessing and conducting research with patient groups and service providers (with the support of the supervisory team). Applicants must hold a first or upper-second class undergraduate degree, or a Master’s degree, in a relevant discipline.

 The successful applicant should have a general understanding of quantitative and qualitative methods, and preferably experience of/interest in conducting research in health care. An excellent standard of verbal and written English is essential as the successful student will be expected to publish from their PhD studies, contribute to relevant publications from the supervisory team as a co-author, and work towards presenting their findings in relevant fora.

To apply please send a CV and covering letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) to Dr Emma Ashworth, [Email Address Removed].