Engaging young people in early psychosis services – a challenge for social work

Gaining an understanding as to why youth engage or disengage with Early Psychosis Services (EPS) is important for social workers providing interventions to young people. The aim of the focus group study reported here was to explore the lived experience of six young people engaging with an EPS. Five key themes were identified as influencing engagement: hospital experiences and transition to the community EPS, experiences with EPS provision, stigma and involuntary treatment status, substance use, and the influence of family and social support. Identifying these factors can assist social work practitioners to develop interventions that encourage engagement with services.