Should smartphones be banned for children under 14?

• ITV Cymru Wales' Correspondent Alexandra Hartley reports.

There are calls for smartphones to be banned for children under 14 in Wales due to the impact on their wellbeing and development.

A paediatric doctor has told ITV Cymru Wales that smartphones are dangerous for children's mental health and brain development, while a parent from Cardiff has set up a petition calling for the Welsh Government to ban them in schools.

Zena Blackwell started a petition to ban smartphones in all schools in Wales due to wellbeing and safeguarding concerns.

She told ITV Cymru Wales: "My main fear is what my children could be exposed to online. There are so many dangers. But also, I don't want my child to become addicted or reliant on a smartphone.

"The potential mental health implications are also a worry. I want the ban at schools because they need respite from the digital noise of having a smartphone."

Mum-of-two Zena gave her eldest a smartphone when he started secondary school but said she instantly regretted it and will be giving her youngest child a basic phone.

Zena is one of hundreds of parents in Wales to join the growing movement Smartphone Free Childhood, which calls on parents to delay giving children a smartphone until the age of 14 at the earliest.

A paediatrician consultant from Chepstow agrees that smartphones are damaging children's wellbeing and development.

Dr Jenny Harper Gow told ITV Cymru Wales that she would like to see parents delay giving smartphones to their children until they are at least 14 years old.

She said smartphones "disrupt brain development, lower self esteem, trigger anxiety, affect sleep and expose children to harmful content".

She added: "My concern is that we are allowing our children to have these devices when we really don't understand the full extent of how it's changing the brain as it's developing and how this may impact their mental health.

"Smartphones are designed to be addictive and designed to give a dopamine hit and for a child's brain where their prefrontal cortex brain hasn't been developed, that's even more addictive than it is for an adult so they're constantly being distracted from whatever task they are trying to focus on by the smartphone pinging notifications and likes, etc. So this reduces their attention span.

"From 2010, there is good evidence that suicide rates and deliberate self-harm and anxiety rates in children aged 10 years have increased as we've never seen before and this coincides with the introduction of smartphones.

"I'd like to see stronger action from governing bodies that would recommend to parents that they don't get a smartphone until at least 14 or 16 years old and we could give children younger than this a basic phone to make calls and texts.

"To carry on as we are is dangerous for our children's wellbeing."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "We recognise the impact technology and mobile phones can have on the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

"Almost all schools in Wales have mobile phone policies that prohibit their use during lessons, but there is an element of discretion.

"Mobile phones can be used effectively to support learning, and it is important children and young people are taught about online safety, including the use of social media.

"The education secretary will be working with schools to ensure they have policies in place that reduce the wellbeing impacts of mobile phones and promote learning."

So what do teenagers themselves think?

• We asked teenagers at Y Pant Comprehensive School in Pontyclun how they feel about smartphone use.

At the moment, many 11 and 12-year-olds in the UK get a smartphone when they start secondary school.

A small group of 15-year-old year 10 pupils from Y Pant Comprehensive in Pontyclun agree there should be a delay to children getting access to social media until aged 14 at the earliest.

However, they would only want to delay having a smartphone if all their peers did so, too.

They said while they are useful for safety and communication, the dangers of having access to social media can lead to addiction, exposure to harmful content and pressures on social media.

One teenager said: "You can get quite addicted to your phone, just scrolling endlessly is not good for your mind."

Another added: "Without social media, school would be a better place."

Assistant headteacher James Wall thinks a smartphone ban in schools would be a benefit but says a wider conversation needs to address the use of social media:

He said: "We want pupils to focus on their learning and build relationships and connections with their peers and teachers and that is difficult when you're simultaneously scrolling through your phone or checking social media.

"Our biggest concern is the wellbeing of pupils, so it's about striking a balance and helping them understand the pros and cons of social media use."

An ITV Barn Cymru Poll asking people about banning phones in schools found:

According to a Parentkind poll, 94% of children are exposed to porn by 14, while:

TELL US YOUR VIEWS: What do you think about delaying giving smartphones to children under 14? Email wales@itv.com with your views and they may be shared on ITV Cymru Wales.

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