Supporting children's safe use of social media and smartphones

You may have seen the Government’s recent announcement of plans to ban social media access for children under the age of 16 in the UK. While these changes are not yet in force, they represent a significant national step towards addressing the growing concerns around children’s use of social media and smartphones. As a school, we welcome the Government’s intention to strengthen protections for children online and to recognise the impact that social media can have on wellbeing, sleep, concentration and exposure to harmful or inappropriate content. We believe this announcement provides an important opportunity for schools and families alike to reflect on how we can work together to support children in developing safe, healthy and balanced digital habits.

This is also a useful moment for all of us to reflect on children’s use of phones, apps and social media at home. We would encourage parents and carers to take an active interest in the platforms their children use, such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and online gaming chat functions, and to check the age ratings and requirements for these apps. Many devices now offer practical ways to help families manage screen time and access, including Apple’s Screen Time, Google Family Link and a range of family supervision tools within individual apps. These can be helpful in setting time limits, restricting unsuitable content and supporting children to develop healthier routines around their phone use.

However, technology tools are only one part of the picture. The most important support children can have is regular, open conversation with trusted adults. We strongly encourage parents to talk with their children about their online lives in the same way they would talk about school, friendships or hobbies. Asking what children enjoy doing online, which apps they use, who they communicate with and whether they have ever seen anything that has made them feel uncomfortable or worried can open the door to important conversations. Children are much more likely to seek help if they feel they can speak honestly and without fear of immediately losing access to their devices, so a calm and non-judgemental approach can make a real difference.

Healthy routines at home can also play an important role. Limiting phone use before bedtime, keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight where possible, and creating screen-free family time can all support children’s sleep, wellbeing and ability to switch off. As adults, modelling balanced phone use ourselves can also help reinforce these messages.

In school, we will continue to educate pupils about staying safe online as part of our wider safeguarding and PSHE curriculum. This includes teaching children about respectful online behaviour, cyberbullying, privacy and consent, misinformation, digital footprints and how to seek help if something online causes concern.

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