Building Social Networks for Children, Young People and Their Families: A SIG-Sponsored Workshop

Background: The Special Interest Group (SIG) Integrated Mental and Social Care for Children, Young People and Families aims to connect professionals, researchers, policy makers and lived-experience experts (consumers) on a variety of topics. In this SIG sponsored workshop, we focus on a specific topic: building social networks for children, young people, and their families.

Strong social networks of families in care are crucial for recovery and resilience in everyday life [1] and should therefore be part of integrated care solutions. Also because weak social cohesion and social networks are predictors for increased mental health and social problems [2,3]. However, involving social networks of families remain an underused resource in current child and family care practices [4].

Audience:This workshop targets ICIC participants engaged in child, youth, and family mental and social health care, including professionals, policy makers, researchers and representatives of families and young people.

Approach: This 90-minute workshop provides a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and good practices across countries. The session begins with a brief introduction on the SIG’s mission and the importance of building and engaging social networks around families (15 minutes), led by Prof. Dr. John Eastwood and representatives of the Dutch Network on Integrated Care for Children and Families (Dr. Laura Nooteboom and Dr. Rob Gilsing).

Participants will then engage in a participatory building approach, inspired by LEGO® Serious Play (LSP, [5]) (60 minutes). Through this hands-on, reflective process, participants will:

1.Construct models of the ideal social network surrounding families.

2.Identify existing good practices in engaging social networks; and

3.Explore what is needed to overcome barriers in current systems.

Outcomes: Participants will co-create individual and collective models that represent both current and desired practices involving families’ social networks in care. The LSP-based process will foster reflection, metaphorical thinking and collaborative sense-making [5], contributing to a shared understanding of how to build stronger, more integrated networks around children, young people, and their families.

References; [1] Breedvelt JJ, Tiemeier H, Sharples E, Galea S, Niedzwiedz C, Elliott I, Bockting CL. The effects of neighbourhood social cohesion on preventing depression and anxiety among adolescents and young adults: rapid review. BJPsych Open. 2022;8(4):e97.

[2] Nevard I, Green C, Bell V, Gellatly J, Brooks H, Bee P. Conceptualising the social networks of vulnerable children and young people: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021;56(2):169–82.

[3] Storm MMC, van Eldik WM, Nooteboom LA, Vermeiren RRJM. Social determinants associated with mental health problems in youth with intellectual disability: a systematic literature review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025;1–15.

[4] Bauer A, Stevens M, Purtscheller D, Knapp M, Fonagy P, Evans-Lacko S, Paul J. Mobilising social support to improve mental health for children and adolescents: a systematic review using principles of realist synthesis. PLoS One. 2021;16(5):e0251750.

[5] Kristiansen P, Rasmussen R. Building a better business using the LEGO® Serious Play® method. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons; 2014.