What can you do?
What councillors can do
Support schools in any way you can. Head teachers are looking for your backing. Encourage them to implement strict smartphone policies. Better still, launch a city-wide policy.
Publicly support and promote a smartphone free childhood across our city.
Raise awareness of the dangers of smartphones to children and their families.
What policy makers can do
Support the Safer Phones Bill and legislate to hold tech companies accountable for the products they offer to children.
Mandate schools to have a genuine smartphone free policy.
Launch a public awareness campaign about the harms and dangers of smartphones in children’s hands.
What health professionals, social workers and others working on the frontline with children can do
Continue to speak out about the risks of smartphones for children and the challenges you see them facing.
Link up with others in your profession. Consider ways you can take collective action, e.g. writing an open letter.
What parents can do
Sign the Parent Pact – Join the growing movement of parents choosing to delay - it takes just 30 seconds. parentpact.smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk
Join your WhatsApp community – Find solidarity, support and inspiration. There is one for most schools in Brighton & Hove. whatsapp.smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk
Help build the movement – Campaign at your children’s school or volunteer to be part of the Brighton & Hove Smartphone Free Childhood working group. regionalleadersignup.smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk
Make use of our resources and toolkits - Take action, such as writing to your MP, raising concerns with your child’s school and talking to other parents. smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/resources
Think about your own boundaries and screen time use – We must role model good tech habits to our children so that we all establish a better balance with our phones.
What schools can do
Make your school completely smartphone-free by using Yondr pouches or lockers. Even better, don’t allow smartphones on the school premises at all. Make sure smartphones are not required for any learning. Thanks to the Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact, there are going to be more and more children who arrive at secondary schools without them.
Encourage parents to sign the Parent Pact to delay buying their children smartphones. Engage with parents who are concerned about smartphones and offer your support.
Help children think critically about their smartphone use through PSHE and computing lessons. Embed this into your e-safety policies.
Hold workshops and information events to educate parents and children about the risks of children’s use of smartphones. Here is a useful link to resources and ideas that schools are using to educate themselves, parents and children.
Link up with other schools and take collective action together, such as sending out joint letters to parents and sharing your policies. Be inspired by the other schools locally and nationally that are already taking action. Visit smartphonefreeschools.co.uk or email [email protected] for inspiration and resources.