Is Youth Mentoring Beneficial For Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Users? A Multi-stakeholder Perspective

Silke, C., & Brady, B. (2025). Is youth mentoring beneficial for child and adolescent mental health service users? A multi-stakeholder perspective. Child & Youth Care Forum.

Introduction

Amid mounting evidence that structured mentoring relationships can foster positive youth development, relatively little research has examined the role of mentoring as a supplemental support for youth engaged with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Silke and Brady (2025) address this gap by investigating the benefits and challenges of integrating youth mentoring with formal mental health services in Ireland. Their study presents a nuanced, multi-stakeholder perspective on a collaborative partnership between CAMHS and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), a well-established mentoring program.

Methodology

The study employed a qualitative design, conducting semi-structured interviews with 40 stakeholders, including CAMHS staff, BBBS staff, youth participants, mentors, and parents. Participants were recruited from six BBBS sites in Ireland, with eligibility criteria requiring that mentoring matches had been active for at least six months.

Data were transcribed and analyzed using a hybrid thematic analysis approach (Clarke et al., 2015). This methodology combined deductive coding based on existing mentoring theory with inductive coding to capture emergent themes. Thematic categories included (1) relationship quality, (2) mentoring processes, (3) program outcomes, and (4) implementation challenges.

Results

The Nature of Mentoring Relationships

A dominant theme across stakeholder groups was that youth-mentor relationships were primarily characterized as friendships rather than therapeutic alliances. Youth described their mentors as “older siblings” or “trusted companions,” emphasizing that the relationships were non-hierarchical and built on mutual respect. Most mentors reported taking a step-by-step approach, allowing youth to lead conversations and interactions.

Perceived Impacts on Youth Well-Being

Stakeholders widely agreed that mentoring had a positive impact on youth social and emotional development. Improvements were noted in several domains. In social skills and friendships, Youth and parents reported that mentoring helped young people become more socially confident, initiate friendships more easily, and engage in conversations with greater ease. In functioning and independence, many stakeholders highlighted that mentoring helped youth engage in social activities, navigate daily life tasks, and gain a sense of autonomy. In confidence and self-esteem, several youth reported feeling more confident since joining the program, while mentors and parents observed an increased willingness among mentees to express their thoughts and opinions. For mood and well-being there were reports that youth appeared happier, more positive, and better able to manage stress. Lastly for self-identity, a minority of participants suggested that mentoring helped youth explore their identities and think about their future goals.

Notably, while social and emotional benefits were widely acknowledged, fewer stakeholders reported cognitive or academic benefits, suggesting that mentoring’s impact may be domain-specific.

Programmatic Factors That Influence Mentoring Effectiveness

Several key factors were identified as essential for fostering successful mentoring relationships including mentor characteristics and relational style (i.e., effective mentors were kind, patient, reliable, good listeners and open-minded), the importance of a strong matching process (e.g., shared interests), consistent communication, and training and support.

Challenges and Implementation Barriers

Despite positive feedback, challenges emerged. Some CAMHS staff expressed concerns about whether mentors were sufficiently equipped to support youth with significant mental health challenges. Many stakeholders identified delays in mentor-mentee matching as a significant barrier, with some CAMHS staff noting that youth circumstances could change while awaiting a match. Lastly there were concerns about inconsistent communication between the two organizations, with CAMHS staff often feeling disconnected from the mentoring process after making a referral.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

The findings underscore the value of integrating mentoring into youth mental health care but highlight the need for careful program design. To maximize effectiveness, mentoring initiatives should prioritize timely matching processes, ensure robust mentor training, and establish clear communication protocols between referring agencies and mentoring organizations. Additionally, programs should consider strategies to support mentors in navigating challenging conversations, particularly when working with youth experiencing complex mental health difficulties. Specific training to support mentors in their support of these youth, in conjunction with careful and consistent supervision, will help ensure mentoring effectiveness.

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