Worrinots App helps children with stress and anxiety

Can an app relieve child stress & anxiety?

The Worrinots is a new, award-winning app which allows children to share their worries and fears in a fun, safe and controlled environment.

When we were little I seem to remember little worry dolls that you could whisper your worries to just before bedtime, and then you would place them under your pillow for the worry dolls to work on your issues while you slept soundly (competing for space with any teeth awaiting the tooth fairy’s arrival).

With children now having more access to electronic devices including mobile phones and iPods etc., the modern approach to worry dolls is to try and offer a much more enhanced worry-management system through an app.

The app features engaging characters, Rip, Stomp, Shakey, and Chomp – who through fun and encouragement, enable children to share their worries and concerns. The Worrinots exist to urge children to speak out and manage their emotions and feelings whilst being exposed in a fun way to coping mechanisms.

The four fun characters, each with their own individual personalities and guidance styles, ‘respond’ to the children with instructions of next steps or follow up whilst ‘ripping up’, ‘chewing’ and ‘stomping on their worries!’.

These character conversations are managed by a unique dual platform whereby the Worrinots App is downloaded in two parts – one which is managed by the parent/guardian and the other which is to be put in child’s hands as a fun app.

Co-creator and Director Tracy Gladman, has spent 20 years in education and has a real passion for working with and in the interests of, child wellbeing.  She has left her teaching career to manage the Worrinots full time. The Worrinots team have worked closely with child psychologists to develop the app ensuring complete safety, security and effectiveness.

The app has been cleverly constructed to offer both a safe and fun environment for children, and complete security for parents and carers, meeting a very real need of ensuring the happiness and the wellbeing of children.   Within the platform are ‘worri-tips’ which provide expert advice about sharing problems and hints and tips for managing concerns however big or small.  These age-appropriate tips can be ‘switched on or off’ allowing for relevant content depending on the child’s needs. The typical age of active users is children 4 – 12 years and their families and carers, however, the app has been designed to flex and suit children of a slightly older age, to cater for those with learning difficulties or even Autism Spectrum Disorder.

It is widely documented that adults with mental health issues are likely to have already experienced mental health problems in their childhood, half before the age of 14.  We must give children as many opportunities as possible to be able to speak openly about how they feel, what makes them feel good and not so good.  We need to educate children about the language of feelings and emotions and the Worrinots perfectly meets those needs.” – Tracy Gladman, Director

For more information, visit http://worrinots.com/