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Introduction: Mental disorders during young adulthood can significantly impair functioning in daily activities. Non-clinical support services aim to improve functioning by helping people to build social and life skills, participate in education and employment and improve physical health. This study aims to examine and synthesise the evidence for non-clinical services on improving functional outcomes for young adults with mental disorders., Methods: A systematic search was undertaken to identify quantitative and qualitative studies reporting on a non-clinical service component (vocational support, peer support, youth development, lifestyle interventions, family and network support) and examining functional outcomes (e.g., outcomes focussed on work and education, life skills, relationships and healthy behaviours)., Results: Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. Identified studies focussed on vocational support services (n = 9), lifestyle interventions (n = 6) and family and network support services (n = 2). No studies on peer-support services or youth development services were found. More than half of the vocational support service studies reported increased employment rates among young adults (n = 6). Studies focussing on lifestyle interventions included a combination of physical activity, nutrition education, health coaching and motivation and behaviour change. However, the measures of functioning used across studies were too varied to determine whether lifestyle interventions may be useful in improving functional outcomes for young adults., Conclusion: Further research is needed to understand the impact of non-clinical services on functioning. This evidence will provide pragmatic guidance for service planners to invest in supports and interventions that make a meaningful difference to the lives of young adults living with mental disorders., (© 2024 The Author(s). Early Intervention in Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Introduction: People who grew up under the care of children's social services are a highly vulnerable group, with 50% of this population meeting the criteria for a mental health problem at any one time. Emerging evidence suggests that there is a disparity between the number of people who require support, and those that receive it, and that they face several barriers to accessing timely and effective mental health support. We have a limited understanding of how to support the mental health of this group as they 'age out' of children's social services, and the transition to independence, which occurs around the age of 18. We aimed to explore how care-leavers understand their experiences of help-seeking from formal mental health services., Methods: We used qualitative interviews, and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with 9 care-experienced young people aged between 18 and 25 years old. This work was co-produced by a team of care-experienced adults, from the conception of the study to write-up., Results: Qualitative analysis revealed several themes which centred around: (1) taking reluctant steps towards recovery, (2) challenges with being understood and the importance of gaining an understanding of yourself, (3) navigating trust and (4) the legacy of not having your mental health needs met., Conclusions: We identified several important implications for health and social care practice, across primary and secondary health care settings. This work highlights ways to better support this highly vulnerable group in accessing evidence-based mental health support, and how to maintain engagement., (© 2024 The Authors. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.)