CBT-based app helps children self-manage anxiety through ‘quests’

A cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) based mobile game designed to help children manage anxiety is now available across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. 

Lumi Nova has been developed as a first-line treatment option for children between the ages of seven and 12 experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, before interventions like therapy are considered or while they wait for additional support.

Co-designed by social enterprise BFB Labs alongside families, NHS clinicians, educators and mental health experts, the NICE-recommended app takes children through a series of personalised quests that gradually expose them to their fears equip them with tools to overcome them.

Sonja Upton, associate director for children, young people and families and specialist primary care at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “Improving the emotional wellbeing of children and young people in Herefordshire and Worcestershire is a key priority for us and our partners in the local authority, education, community and voluntary organisations. 

“We are excited to be able to offer this innovative intervention to children in our area.  We know many children will benefit from having quick access to an online platform that helps them manage and reduce worries and anxieties in order to enjoy their life to the full.”

A report by the Children’s Commissioner, published in March 2024, found that more than a quarter of a million young people were waiting for mental health support in England. Lumi Nova aims to give children instant access to age-appropriate therapeutic tools that enable them to self-manage their anxieties and build long-term mental resilience.

The app provides embedded outcome measure and built in safeguarding and accessibility features. Data from the app can be accessed securely by authorised care professionals securely through the BFB VitaMind Hub.

Upton added: “Lumi Nova helps us to meet the growing demand for emotional, mental health support which we have seen since COVID-19. It provides inclusive, timely support for young people at an early age living in Herefordshire and Worcestershire and it can be accessed for free, on-demand, anytime, anywhere.

“By introducing Lumi Nova as one way for young people to better understand how they are feeling and practise ways of managing their worries, we can offer an early intervention that could prevent issues from escalating.”

According to BFB Labs figures from September 2024, 60% of children who used Lumi Nova as a first line intervention did not require further support.

Meanwhile, a pilot study published in 2021 recorded a significant improvement in child and parent-reported outcome measures after using the app.

Manjul Rathee, founder and chief executive of BFB Labs, said:  “We are delighted to work with NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire to offer Lumi Nova to children and families across the two counties. This allows us to provide age-appropriate, non-stigmatising support for everyday worries and anxiety, without families having to wait. 

“Our intervention can also alleviate some of the pressure on the NHS. By reimagining child-centred, inclusive mental health care for a new generation, Lumi Nova helps young minds overcome challenges and build lifelong resilience.”

Lumi Nova can be accessed by families across Herefordshire and Worcestershire for free without a referral via Lumi Nova’s digital self-referral hub. It is also available in Lincolnshire.