Lumi Nova needs an internet connection to download the app, and to send data (in-app prompts) but not to use it.

Lumi Nova auto-concludes every 30-40 mins. in a single day cycle to help manage positive screen time.

Who Lumi Nova is for

Lumi Nova is designed to help children and young people with mild to moderate levels of anxiety. If your child struggles with worry, they may seem to fear the worst in specific situations, they may lack the confidence to cope with new challenges in those situations, and they may even often complain of tummy aches, muscle aches, or headaches in response to a specific worry. 

Lumi Nova is not suitable to help children or young people with complex needs or whose generalised worry prevents them from participating in most day-to-day activities.

Lumi Nova is not intended to be used by:

• Young people who do not have parent, carer, guardian or trusted adult supervision

• Young people who are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts or are at risk of self harm

• Young people that have severe anxiety or are in crisis

• Young people with severe mental health symptoms or diagnoses, who are not supported by a healthcare professional.

What to do if your child starts feeling worried/anxious during in-game challenges.

It is normal for your child to show some level of worry while they attempt in-game challenges. 

You can help them manage their worries by encouraging them to talk to you about what worries them, by listening openly, and by taking their fears seriously. Try to guide your child to support themselves rather than providing all the support they need. 

You can do this by asking open-ended questions, like: 

“How do you feel right now?” 

“Why do you think you feel worried?” 

“What do you think will make you feel less worried?” 

You can even ask them to decide how likely it is that what they worry about will really happen.

When you talk with your child, avoid giving reassurance like “It will be okay” or “That will never happen,” and try not to tell them what they should do to overcome their worry.

Your role is to help them figure out how to cope with the worry themselves and to learn that they can get through it with their own bravery and strength. You can remind them that you’ll be there alongside them to cheer them on while they tackle their worries. 

If you notice that your child seems too worried to complete an in-game challenge, it’s ok to pause and ask them some of these questions immediately.

If they are feeling too worried to talk about it immediately, do your best to stay calm and model calming strategies, like taking a deep breath, repeating a positive mantra (like “I am strong and brave!”), or even thinking about something that makes you happy for a moment. 

Encourage your child to take a short break if they need to, but try to find a time to talk with them about their worries and to try the challenge again soon. The longer they wait to try again, the more likely that their worries will grow instead of diminish. 

If taking a few deep breaths or a short break does not help your child calm down and they or you need more support, you can contact Anxiety UK:

Anxiety UK Helpline: 03444 775 774 

Anxiety UK Text support: 07537 416 905

What to do if your child starts feeling worried/anxious during real life challenges.

It is normal for your child to show some level of worry while they attempt real life challenges. Your child will likely have some difficulty confronting their fears with these challenges. You can encourage them to take each step, but be sure it is their choice to participate when they feel ready. 

You can help them manage their worries by encouraging them to talk to you about what worries them, by listening openly, and by taking their fears seriously. 

Try to guide your child to support themselves rather than providing all the support they need. You can do this by asking open-ended questions, like: 

 “How do you feel right now?” 

“Why do you think you feel worried?” 

“What do you think will make you feel less worried?” 

You can even ask them to decide how likely it is that what they worry about will really happen. 

When you talk with your child, avoid giving reassurance like “It will be okay” or “That will never happen,” and try not to tell them what they should do to overcome their worry.

Your role is to help them figure out how to cope with the worry themselves and to learn that they can get through it with their own bravery and strength. You can remind them that you’ll be there alongside to cheer them on while they tackle their worries.

Some real life challenges may take place in school when you aren’t present. In these cases, it may help to talk with your child ahead of time about what they can do when they feel worried.

Some strategies to practice include:  

Belly breathing: Put your hands on your belly, breathe in deeply through your nose, and then blow out slowly through your mouth 5 times in a row. 

Self-hug: Squeeze your own arms or shoulders like you’re giving yourself a hug

Positive mantra: Repeat an encouraging phrase like “I am strong and brave!”

Thought break: Imagine being somewhere else doing something that makes you happy for a moment

If you notice that your child seems too worried to complete a real life challenge while you’re with them, it’s ok to pause and ask them some of these questions immediately.

If they are feeling too worried to talk about it immediately, do your best to stay calm and model the calming strategies described above.

Encourage your child to take a short break if they need to, but try to find a time to talk with them about their worries and to try the challenge again soon. The longer they wait to try again, the more likely that their worries will grow instead of diminish.

If taking a few deep breaths or a short break does not help your child calm down and they or you need more support to reduce their anxiety quickly, you can contact Anxiety UK:

Anxiety UK Helpline: 03444 775 774 

Anxiety UK Text support: 07537 416 905

If your child’s anxiety around  a real life challenge is longstanding and requires more attention, you can contact your GP to find local mental health support or speak to your child’s school about getting SENCO support.

If you don’t have access to Lumi Nova yet, but want access to it then contact your young person’s school, GP or the local services.

We’ve taken a child-centred approach in the development of Lumi Nova, and as it’s designed for those with mild to moderate needs, many children have the potential to benefit. That said, due to it being a mobile game, there will be some instances where it may not be suitable (or at least not suitable as a standalone intervention). For example a child with mild to moderate needs will be able to complete challenges and goals with support from a parent or a professional (practitioner, support worker etc) as part of their support journey.

Lumi Nova is not recommended for use with children who have severe anxiety, are in crisis, have suicidal thoughts or are at risk of self harming without clinical supervision. See instructions for use: bit.ly/luminova-ifu

Neurodiversity: For children who are suspected or diagnosed to have neurodevelopmental difficulties (eg. Autism, ADHD, sensory processing difficulties, etc.) we would strongly recommend that Lumi Nova is used alongside professional support. As each child has unique needs, if Lumi Nova is used to support these children with anxiety difficulties, necessary adjustments should be made prior to use to meet their sensory needs first.

Eg. if a child's anxieties are sensory based (lighting in classrooms, noise levels, etc.) then adjustments need to be made before use (eg. environmental adjustments such as smaller class sizes; or device related adjustments such as adjusting sound, contrast level etc.) Appropriateness of using Lumi Nova would be at the discretion of the trusted adult supporting the child, and the child’s choice.

Autism: while Lumi Nova is not designed specifically for neurodiverse children, other services have found it helps empower children with suspected, undiagnosed or diagnosed autism to engage with a therapeutic intervention and positively self-manage in their environment. However, as each child has unique needs, we would strongly recommend that where Lumi Nova is used to support autistic children with anxiety difficulties, necessary adjustments are made prior to use. For example if a child's anxieties are sensory based (lighting in classrooms, noise levels, etc.) then adjustments need to be made before use (eg. environmental adjustments such as smaller class sizes; or device related adjustments such as adjusting sound, contrast level etc.) Appropriateness of using Lumi Nova would be at the discretion of the trusted adult supporting the child, and the child’s choice.

Other special educational needs: as above, Lumi Nova is not designed for those with complex needs, but may help support those with mild to moderate SEMH. Our approach is child centred, understanding that each child has different needs and capabilities and hopefully Lumi Nova can offer a fun, non-stigmatising way to many children so they can engage with a therapeutic intervention whilst taking into consideration their individual needs.

Visual problems - it's a visual and immersive game, and is designed for children that do not have vision impairment. However, psychoeducation and challenges are voiceguided.

Hearing problems - while there is sound to enhance the child's experience, it is suitable for hearing impaired children too. There is haptic feedback for example when the young person sucks up slimes to provide that instant feedback. Sound can be turned down or off on the device a child may be using if required.

Low literacy levels - Lumi Nova contains voiceovers and voice-guided challenges to improve accessibility for children that might struggle to read. It is designed to be a child-led, parent/carer/trusted adult-supported intervention, the trusted adult would ideally support with reading if needed. Where parents do not have the capacity to support, a trusted adult e.g.someone from school (such as a teaching assistant or ELSA), relative or family friend might be able to support.

Lumi Nova is currently available only in English but this dedicated website for parents/carers/trusted adults that provides them with information about how to select goals, support their child, adapt real world challenges, etc - can be translated into other languages at the click of a button.