A PIONEERING intervention that gives children and families on-demand access to a therapeutic mobile game designed to tackle childhood anxiety is driving positive mental health outcomes in Devon.

The NICE-recommended immersive game, called Lumi Nova, combines a gold-standard therapeutic approach – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – with ethical and immersive gaming delivered via a mobile app.

Lumi Nova was commissioned through Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) by Devon Partnership NHS Trust with Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) in 2023 to improve access to early intervention support for children and young people who are struggling with anxiety. It has already been used by more than 1100 children aged 7-12 in the region.

Data shows the service is having a positive impact: over three-quarters (79%) of users demonstrated clinical need when first accessing the service and over 90% saw their condition reliably improve or stay the same after engaging with the therapeutic mobile game.

In particular, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have seen significant outcomes after accessing the service, according to results from a deployment with Devon Partnership NHS Trust and CFHD.

Data shows Lumi Nova has driven especially positive outcomes for children with SEND in the region, pointing to the intervention’s successful support of children typically underserved by traditional mental health services:

• Lumi Nova has seen disproportionately high engagement from children with SEND: more than a quarter (27%) of Lumi Nova users in Devon had SEND as reported by their parents/carers, compared to 18% of pupils in England;

• It has also improved outcomes: 93% of children with SEND demonstrated clinical need when first accessing Lumi Nova. After accessing the service, 97% of children with SEND showed reliable improvement or stayed the same

Holly Billington, Deputy Director (interim) for Children and Family Health Devon said: ‘We are incredibly impressed with Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage.

‘This innovative app offers a practical and engaging way for children and young people to learn how to manage their fears and anxieties in a supportive environment.

‘By combining evidence-based therapy techniques with a child-friendly approach, Lumi Nova supports young users to gain confidence and resilience at their own pace.

‘It also represents a positive step forward in accessible mental health support for children and families’.

Manjul Rathee, founder and CEO of BFB Labs, the social impact organisation behind Lumi Nova, said: ‘It is brilliant to see the positive impact Lumi Nova is having in Devon.

‘Accessible, tailored, and engaging child mental health support has never been more important, with 1 in 4 school age children struggling, and waiting lists at an all-time high.

‘For children with SEND, there are even higher barriers to accessing mental health support.

‘Interventions like Lumi Nova, which provide inclusive, stigma-free and easily accessible mental health support for free, are vital to tackling these and ensuring every child has the tools to build resilience and manage their anxiety.

‘It’s a privilege to be able to play an active part in this and we look forward to continuing to work with Devon Partnership NHS Trust to support young people across the region’.