Smartphone free childhood

As a group of headteachers leading Solihull schools, we are concerned about the impact of smart phones on our children and young people. We have started to discuss how we can work together as a local community to share information with families and to make a change that means that children having smart phones is not the 'norm'.

There has been a lot in the press recently around the impact of smart phones, as well as proposals by politicians to introduce legislation that bans mobile phones from all schools and limits social media use by young people. As a group of headteachers, we want to encourage everyone to PAUSE and think about the impact of giving smart phones to young people, because:

• P: Prevents Real Play – Smartphone use can stop children from socialising and engaging in imaginative or active play
• A: Attention Span – Smartphones reduce focus and attention, hindering learning
• U: Undermines Mental Health – Overexposure to social media and screens can negatively affect children's emotional and mental well-being.
• S: Safety Risks – Smartphones expose children to safeguarding issues, including cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
• E: Emotional Impact – The addictive nature of smartphones can lead to mood swings, sleep disruption, and over-reliance on digital validation.

We understand that most children who are towards the end of primary school or at secondary school already own a smart phone, and we are committed to educating these children about the safe use of smart phones. We also understand that many families rely on mobile technology for anything from an electronic bus pass to checking homework at the end of a school day. This is why we are committed to collectively looking at solutions that are appropriate for our own school, while also working with other agencies to address this issue.

There are a number of parent-led organisations that advocate collective action on this issue. You may be interested in their websites, each containing some excellent resources, as well as the opportunity to sign parent pledges on the use of smart phones:

https://smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/ 

https://delaysmartphones.org.uk/

https://www.papayaparents.com/