Smartphones

Smartphone Concerns

We are increasingly concerned about the impact of smartphones on our children.

Smartphones are a big part of life today. Most adults have one. They are great for finding information and staying connected with family and friends.

However, there is now an alarming amount of evidence and research about the negative effects of smartphones and social media on children and teenagers. These include:

• Poor mental health, such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.

• Issues with cyberbullying, attention, focus and sleep.

• Exposure to dangerous and harmful content and inappropriate material; and

• Smartphones can be highly addictive, so time spent on a device reduces time spent playing, interacting and developing vital social skills.

Children often get their first phone in primary school, and over 90% of 12-year-olds now have a smartphone. This period is crucial for brain development, and the younger a child gets a smartphone, the more harm it can cause.

What we are doing in school?

Schools are in a powerful position to change the norm, and therefore North Leamington Consortia Primary Schools have come together as we are committed to making our schools smartphone-free. We do not want children using smartphones during the school day, and we do not want primary school children to bring a smartphone to school. Cubbington C of E Primary School is fully smartphone and smartwatch free. We are hoping that our local secondary schools will also start to follow this policy.

What can you do as parents?

Research indicates that children are at their most vulnerable to potential negative influences from access to social media between the ages of 11-15. Accessing the internet through a smartphone can pose greater risks than doing so from a more secure network in the home environment. As such, we are also encouraging all parents to delay giving a smartphone to your child until they are at least 16.

A growing number of parents and schools across the country are choosing to take a smartphone free approach. We are proud to be working together locally to support the well-being and healthy development of our children.

If you need to contact your child while they travel to and from school, a simple “brick” phone is enough. These phones do not have internet connectivity and are inexpensive.

We would like to work together with parents to safeguard children and preserve childhood. By doing so, we can protect our children’s mental health and wellbeing and set a standard for how communities can unite to challenge norms that no longer serve our children.

If you would like to find out more about support for parents who want their children to be smartphone-free, please visit Smartphone Free Childhood and One Collective Power.