Smartphone Free Childhood is a grassroots movement on a mission to challenge what they see as Big Tech’s colonisation of childhood.

Dartington CE Academy is topping the leaderboard for parents who have signed the Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact meaning they won’t give their child a smartphoneuntil at least the end of of Year 9 (around aged 14).

At the time of writing 128 parents had signed up.

Parent of a five year old girl and a younger child, not yet at school, Laura Miles-Boardman said:

“They are designed to be very sticky.

“All of the apps are designed to be engaging and addictive and people who run the telecom’s companies or develop apps, those who work for Meta or Twitter for example don’t actually give their kids phones which indicates that we shouldn’t be either.”

It’s hoped to involve as many schools as possible in the initiative.

As far as keeping in touch with children there are other ways as Laura explained: “There is the ‘dumb’ phone route (old style phones not connected to the internet) and if you’re just dropping off and collecting the children they don’t need a phone.”

Dr Grace Thompson is the parent of three children, a daughter aged 10, a son aged seven and another daughter aged five at Dartington Primary.

She said: “I’m a GP and talking to families a lot about smartphones.

“Children come in with all sorts of problems- not sleeping, headaches, anxiousness, poor mental health and a lot of these children are spending five hours a day on their phone.

“We’ve got a whole generation of children who have really been let down.

“You’re giving the whole world access to your child.

Dr Thompson and her family are currently discussing whether to allow one of the old style phones that are just equipped with voice and text.

She said: “These would give children contact-ability and make them feel that they’ve got some of what they want which is to chat with their friends without the damaging parts.”

The numbers taking part in the pact are as follows: Dartington CE Academy 128, Stokenham Area Primary School 22, Ugborough Primary School 20, South Brent Primary School 16, Kingsbridge Community Primary School 16, Modbury Primary School 12, Stowford School in Ivybridge 12, The Grove School in Totnes 11, Kingsbridge Community College 10, Aveton Gifford CE Primary School 9, Ivybridge Community College 9, South Devon Steiner School in Dartington 9, Stoke Fleming Community Primary School 9, King Edward VI Community College in Totnes 7, Blackawton Primary School 6, Manor Primary School in Ivybridge 5, Charleton CE Academy in West Charleton 5, Woodland Park Primary School in Ivybridge 5, Ermington Primary School 4, Totnes Progressive School 2, Harbertonford CE Primary School 2, Bidwell Brook School in Dartington 2, Salcombe CE Primary School 2, Loddiswell Primary School 1, The Erme Primary School in Ivybridge 1, Bickleigh Down CE Primary School in Woolwell 1, Dartmouth Academy 1 and Park School in Dartington 1.

To find out more visit: https://smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/