lumin&us - A new play-based App for families

Ever been in a situation where your child is struggling and you’re struggling with your child? Of course you have, we all have.

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 lumin&us

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.”

Search lumin&us on the App Store or on Google Play to download the App for free.

Enjoying our resources? Want to help us support other families?

lumin&us is currently free on both the App Store and Google Play. If you have enjoyed using the App, Cards to Help You Connect, or would like to support Beacon Services Resources to continue to help struggling families free of charge, you can donate here. Like Beacon Family Services, Beacon Services Resources resources is a CIC (Community Interest Company) which means that any and all profit goes back in to helping families.

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.