Summary

Eczema Outreach Support (EOS) is unique, being the only UK charity dedicated to helping children and young people with eczema and their families. EOS offers free, practical, non-medical advice, one-to-one support, organises events and advocates for the rights of children and young people with eczema. The aim is to empower them to take back control of their health, removing the isolation that many experience. Crucially, EOS shapes its services based on the experiences of members and works with healthcare professionals, educational professionals and researchers so that children and young people with eczema know they are not alone.

Method

New members receive a welcome pack and are offered one-to-one support from the EOS family workers, who are not medical professionals. The workers facilitate school workshops and online peer groups. These include a virtual High Five Club for children aged 3-10, tailored support for teenagers, a youth panel for young people aged 16-25 and online ‘Grab a Cuppa’ events for parents and carers to come together and swap stories, tips and chat about eczema. Families, children and young people are given unique opportunities to connect and share experiences, and to meet others with the same, often hidden, condition. The well-being resources developed by senior research fellow and chartered psychologist Dr Ella Guest, to help the children and young people manage the impact eczema has on them, have been welcomed by families.

Results

The family workers provide support to 4,789 members. Their work has changed lives, with supported children reporting a better understanding of their condition, as well as saying they feel more understood and less alone. Likewise, parents state that they are more confident about managing their child’s eczema, as well as better able to cope. During an average week the team deals with 12 new members, sends out 16 welcome packs and co-ordinates the online activities. In 2021, the Youth Panel evolved to advocate for the needs of the thousands of young people with eczema, often directly advising professional health groups. A school online workshop programme and resources have been developed to educate pupils and teachers about eczema. Views are gathered via a member survey, direct feedback, activity evaluations and polls. Members reported that they felt more confident following their child’s treatment plan (90%), felt more supported and understood in relation to their child’s eczema (96%), said their child understood eczema and its treatments better (93%), said their child talks more easily about their eczema with others (61%), felt more confident dealing with their child’s school or nursery about eczema (76%), felt better able to cope with the impact of eczema on family life (86%), with 99% saying that they would recommend EOS to a friend.

Sustainability and Spread

EOS wants every child with eczema to thrive and the family workers are central to their vision and values. They are passionate and motivated to make things better for children with eczema and their families. They strive for excellence, seeking ways to continually improve. They respect everyone, listening to and appreciating their views, ideas and individual experiences. They are trustworthy, providing evidence-based support and acting with integrity. They provide practical, non-medical advice and emotional support to the whole family. Their goal is for every child/young person with eczema to know they are not alone. They bring together the eczema community online and in-person, so that families with eczema can confidently access support from peers and specialists, as well as sourcing reliable information.