An increasing number of Sheffield parents are signing Smartphone free childhood’s pact to choose to “wait to give their children a smartphone until at least the end of Year 9″.
According to their parent pact statistics, parents from over 149 schools across South Yorkshire have signed the agreement. The school with the most signatures is Hallam Primary School, where 158 parents have agreed not to get their child a smartphone until they are at least 14.
Last year, a Sheffield secondary school, Forge Valley, banned the use of mobile phones in school entirely. While another school, Firth Park Academy, introduced Yondr pouches to stop students having their phones out during the school day.
Smartphone free childhood was started in Suffolk last year by two mums, Clare Fernyhough and Daisy Greenwell, who were concerned about phone usage in young children and it is steadily increasing in membership across the country.
Despite parental concerns, however, last week, a report from youth parliament concluded that social media should not be banned for under 16’s in the UK. The investigation said banning teenagers from using any social media is neither “practical nor effective.”
Wania Eshaal Ahmad, the chair of the committee, said: “Social media companies should do more to protect young people from violent and harmful content. Tech companies must be held accountable.”
Despite the youth parliament’s conclusion, many parents do believe that children should not have access to social media until they are 16.
One parent, whose children go to Walkley Primary School in Sheffield, said that she “definitely” believes there needs to be a cap implemented by the government due to the countless online dangers to young people, especially “not knowing who is on the other side of the screen.”
She said that she will get her children “an old phone with no socials just to keep in touch with them” once they start secondary school, believing that the “risks [of social media] outweigh the benefits.”
Another 33-year-old mum said that she is “terrified” for her 10-year-old son to start secondary school since his peers will likely already be on social media.
She said: “Parents these days have no idea who their kids are talking to online, what friendships they’re making and what videos they’re watching. I think the only way to reassure parents is for the government to flat-out ban social media, then I’d be more reassured and open to my son having a smartphone. It’s difficult to balance the safety of being able to contact my child, but not wanting him to be exposed to Instagram and X.”
According to Ofcom, by the age of 11, nine in 10 children will have a smartphone, and 70% of parents have expressed concern about their child being bullied online.
