Smartphone Free Childhood Braunton

14/01/2026

Health experts warn a ‘surveillance childhood’ prevents youngsters learning the skills and developing the autonomy they need to navigate real life.

A great article challenging the social norm of tracking our children. What are unintended consequences?......

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/technology-uk/article/tracking-devices-apps-children-anxiety-bhs3gjn8c?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawPUPHRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETB3MU5iWEJoYWdYd1ZUdUpUc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhAMoNDvDbKmsFViO7z50gew1UrgOUjuhGkp8eKYyqPm5Qwu6cltIbmG07jb_aem_YOAm5wDMjafrbHx5kcacww =1767554979

Health experts warn a ‘surveillance childhood’ prevents youngsters learning the skills and developing the autonomy they need to navigate real life

14/01/2026

Sir Keir Starmer has told Labour MPs he is deeply concerned about the impact of excessive smartphone use on children and teenagers, in the latest signal that the British government is warming towards an Australia-style crackdown.

The prime minister told the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday night that he was alarmed by reports of five-year-olds unable to learn at school because they had spent so much time on screens. “I have been concerned about the issue for a very long time,” he said.

Starmer has previously said that his personal inclination is not to impose an Australia-style ban on under-16s having social media accounts, but his stance appears to have shifted in recent weeks.

Prime minister tells Labour MPs he is watching impact of Australia’s ban

14/01/2026

Parents a must watch:
https://youtu.be/R1pSNgcTins
Story here:
https://news.sky.com/.../how-britains-children-are-being...

One woman tells Sky News she first saw p**nography aged seven - and by the age of eight was watching extreme material. Shaniah Williams says seeing the conte...

14/01/2026

There’s still time to make a real difference!
The CrowdJustice fundraiser has been extended, which means there is still an opportunity to support the legal case calling for smartphones to be prohibited in our schools 📵
Please stand with Flossie and the other claimants, who are speaking up on behalf of thousands of families asking for this vital change to better safeguard all schoolchildren
If you are able to please consider donating, but if not you can still make a huge impact by sharing this message far and wide. Every share helps build momentum.
https://www.crowdjustice.com/.../ban-smartphones-in-schools/
Thank you for being part of this important movement! 🤝
Film credit to: Reclaim Childhood
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg3YAvVNCkg&feature=youtu.be

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/ban-smartphones-in-schools/This film was created by Reclaim Childhood in collaboration with the fathers bringing this judic...

14/01/2026

Dad & daughter raise awareness on what can seem like harmless fun - is actually manipulation by marketing companies using kids to sell products!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTQ3omcElRP/?igsh=cmt5eDhxeTBkdGE=

14/01/2026

Smartphone Free Schools - Brick phone only policy 💪
A powerful clip from a webinar hosted by Generation Focus.

Fay Bowler, Braunton Academy
Fay’s talk from an academy’s perspective and highlights how much easier this policy is to achieve working collaboratively with local primary schools 🤝
🎧 To listen to the whole webinar please search:
YouTube: Generation Focus head teacher webinar
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tQGXQUViu7I

UK 🇬🇧 Schools let’s do this to better safeguard all of our school children 🤝

We hear from three head teachers who've gone smartphone free. Lucy Harrison, Head of Archer AcademyFay Bowler, Braunton Academy David Smith, Head of Fulham B...

14/01/2026

A countywide ban on student smartphone use during the school day from the start of the next academic year in September 2026 has moved a step closer after our councillors overwhelmingly endorsed the principle.

The motion put forward at today’s Full Council meeting (Thursday 4 September) by Councillor Graham Bell, sought to reflect “the administration’s commitment to putting children’s wellbeing first”, with the aim of ensuring that nearly 40,000 pupils in Devon’s maintained schools are better protected from digital distraction, isolation, and harm.

Councillors raised concerns that smartphones are a growing source of distraction which leads to a number of issues including bullying, sleep disruption, and anxiety.

The County Council will support the Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) campaign and will aim to carry out a consultation before the start of the Spring Term with results being analysed by February 2026.

A countywide ban on student smartphone use during the school day from the start of the next academic year in September 2026 has moved a step closer after our

14/01/2026

Yesterday’s newsletter outlined developments in the policy debate around kids, smartphones and social media – and explained it was moving quickly.

We didn’t realise quite how fast. 🚀

A few hours later, Keir Starmer told MPs he’s considering an Australia-style age limit on social media. That’s a clear shift – and it means this issue is now live and genuinely up for influence.

Right now, MPs are deciding what to push for and prioritise. And what they hear from parents today will shape those decisions.

So we’ve made it as simple as possible to email yours – it takes just 60 seconds......

CLICK THE LINK

04/07/2025

We absolutely agree with Jonathan Haidt when he says:
"Children feel and know what are doing to them, and many of them want to quit but aren’t strong enough to do so, because it would mean being excluded from their friendship groups."
It takes collective action, and we CAN do this together - if parents agree to delay smartphones and social media for their kids.
Let's give kids the childhood they deserve!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLoSZr6uPNa/

01/07/2025

01/07/2025

01/07/2025

Why Clean up the Internet?

The UK has a serious problem with how conversations take place online. Bullying, harassment, and intimidation are an everyday occurrence. Debates get derailed by abuse and misinformation. Online fraud is now the UK's most commonly experienced crime. Many people feel uneasy about the way online conversations so often take a nasty turn, whilst others feel unable to take part at all. British democracy is being damaged by this toxic culture.


Clean Up the Internet wants to change this. We want an internet where everyone can explore, discuss, and debate the issues they care about, without being subjected to abuse, confused by fake news, or preyed on by scammers. We want websites and social media networks to make life harder for trolls, bullies, and fraudsters. Where tech companies are too slow to act, we want the government to force them.

Find out more

Clean up the Internet works to tackle online harms. We want stop the harm to democracy caused by abuse, trolling and disinformation. We campaign to stop online anonymity being abused. We want to strengthen authenticity and trust in online debate, by giving users the option to verify their identity.