Ever been in a situation where your child is struggling and you’re struggling with your child? Of course you have, we all have.The free NHS-approved lumin&us® family wellbeing parenting app can help.
In the moment, it can be tricky to remember that your child’s behaviour is their form of expressing what they are feeling. It can also be difficult – and often impossible in the moment – to realise that your response to your child’s behaviour is a reflection of what you may be feeling. It’s for these moments, and a whole host of other parenting moments, that we worked with Beacon Services Resources CIC to create the world’s first play therapy based App, lumin&us.
About the lumin&us parenting app
lumin&us was created by social workers, play therapists and educators with generous grant funding to support family life. Based on Stephen Porges’ Polygaval Theory and play therapy, this App can improve wellbeing and relationships by helping adults and children understand and identify the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and ‘prescribing’ the right type of play at the right time.
Using the App’s SCAN button helps parents and carers to work out which state – safe, struggling or drowning – their children are in based on their feelings, behaviours and physical response to a situation. There is also a SCAN for adults with helpful tips and tools to support, soothe and calm parents and carers experiencing stress.
Matt Parsonage, Head of Communities at Clarion Futures, said: “Having been shortlisted for The William Sutton Prize, our awards programme that recognises innovative projects tackling key societal issues, Beacon Family Services have really gone from strength to strength. We’re delighted to have provided funding through our social value programme to support the development of this app which we hope will make a huge difference to those who use it, helping to improve children’s wellbeing though play.”
lumin&us® helps parents and carers to:
- understand their child’s behaviours
- support their children’s BIG EMOTIONS
- support children experiencing anxiety
- improve relationships
- reduce family conflict
- support their child’s mental health
- improve family wellbeing
- support, calm and soothe their child through co-regulation of their nervous system
- understand the connection between their children’s feelings, thoughts and behaviours
Visit the lumin&us® website for more information, or search lumin&us on the App Store or on Google Play to download the App for free.
What parents and professionals say about the lumin&us® app
Try the premium version of NHS-approved lumin&us® for FREE when you help with our research
Both free (standard) and paid (premium) versions of the lumin&us® parenting app are available. Help families like yours and get your hands on the premium version for free…
This research trial will help us understand more about how lumin&us® works for families like yours. By contributing to this research, you will receive free access to lumin&us® Premium but you will also be helping us improve what we do. We need as many families as possible to help us with our research.
Parents and professionals can try lumin&us® Premium for FREE for up to 12 months by joining our research trial for 2025 in partnership with the University of Birmingham. Find out more, or sign up here.
Further support for parents
If you or someone you know is struggling with family relationships, Beacon Family Services can help. We provide a range of therapies and resources to support parents, children and families including our Connect For Kids Theraplay® group and parent workshops on a variety of topics, as well as access to peer support groups.
For further support, and to see our latest parent events and services, please visit the Families hub.
You can also explore our resources for instant support, including newsletters, online support groups, and much more. You can also read further insights and tips from qualified therapists and professionals on our blog.
We work with organisations, professionals, schools, and charities.
We provide training to use our resources with families and in schools. We partner with professionals, commissioners and organisations to provide in person and online support for families, professional development and training and support and supervision.
Beacon Services Resources CIC would like to thank Clarion Futures, Aston Business School Innovation Vouchers, Innovate UK Edge and the West Midlands Combined Authority for making this App possible.
lumin&us® is the Registered Trademark of Beacon Services.