About the movement
Smartphone Free Childhood is a parent-led movement calling for children to be given the gift of a phone-free childhood. Founded in the UK in 2024, the movement brings together families, schools, and communities to push back against the normalisation of smartphones for children, citing growing evidence of harm to mental health, sleep, attention, and development.
My involvement
Over the past two years I have been one of the lead parent organisers driving Smartphone Free Childhood activity at Corstorphine Primary School. My work has included:
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Community survey & report Running a parent and pupil survey on smartphone and social media use, analysing the data, and writing a formal report of findings to inform the school community and parent council.
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Raising awareness Consistently raising the issue with the wider school community through events, communications, and parent engagement over the past two years.
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Parent council advocacy Bringing the topic to parent council meetings and keeping it on the agenda as a standing concern.
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Co-chairing the working group Helping to establish and co-chair a dedicated school working group to develop practical approaches and recommendations on smartphone use.
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Corstorphine Fair stall Running a Smartphone Free Childhood information stall at the biennial Corstorphine Fair, reaching families from across the local community.
Get in touch
If you're a parent or school in the Corstorphine area interested in getting involved, or if you'd like to learn more about the movement, I'd love to hear from you.
simon@hildrew.net