Teachers say parental support is essential, with most smartphone and screen happening outside of schools
'Schools cannot address these issues alone': Headteachers call for national guidance to help tackle children's screen timeDelegates have voted in favour of a motion calling for national guidance on online safety to help families establish boundaries for their children with screens.
Delegates at the annual conference in Belfast for the NAHT school leaders’ union voted in favour of a motion calling for national guidance on online safety to help families establish boundaries for their children with screens. It comes after the Government announced it would introduce some sort of age restriction on social media and would make phone bans in schools statutory earlier this week.
The motion said that while schools play a "vital role" in online safety, parental support is essential as the majority of smartphone and screen use occurs outside school. It said: "Conference believes that schools cannot address these issues alone and that national action is needed to support parents in setting boundaries and to mitigate the negative effects of excessive screen time, including smartphone use and gaming.
" Proposer Mustafaa Malik, from Gateshead, said when technology is introduced "too early, too often, without clear boundaries, it can undermine the very learning it is meant to support". "Across our schools we see the impact daily – children who struggle to sustain attention, pupils who find it hard to listen without constant stimulation. Increased impulsivity, disrupted learning and a rise in anxiety," he added.
The motion further calls for national guidance and a public health-style awareness campaign on online safety that enables families to establish clear boundaries, and called for the union to urge the Government and technology and gaming companies to help parents prevent video game addiction. Mr Malik said: "Without clear guidance, we could be sleepwalking into a situation where an entire generation of children are impacted so significantly they may struggle to successfully access the world around them for years to come.
" Motion seconder Laura Haines, from Worcestershire, said children are being kept in a "state of constant, fragmented attention". Earlier this week, the Education Secretary told LBC that there would be no U-turn on proposed social media restrictions, claiming "change is coming". Bridget Phillipson said that a consultation is underway to determine what the changes will look like in order to "make sure that we get this right".
It comes after Education Minister Olivia Bailey told the House of Commons on Monday that social media platforms will be restricted for under-16s in Britain. However, it has been warned that schools need funding to invest in measures to actually keep pupils off their phones. Guidance has already been issued for parents of under-fives, advising that children should not be on screens for more than an hour a day.
Children under two should avoid all screen time other than shared activities encouraging interaction.
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