Mobile phone use in schools has once again been thrust back onto the political agenda after the Government announced plans to introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools in England.

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This latest move is welcome, giving real legal muscle to official guidance announced earlier this year that schools should be phone-free for the entire day.

For those of us working in this space, this is a positive step. But we are deceiving ourselves if we think the challenges of screen time start or end at the school gate. They eat into early mornings, late nights and weekends. And it is parents who are on this new frontline, attempting to help children build healthy digital habits while managing the impacts.

This is no easy feat. Technology is now embedded in all our lives, including our children's. Not all of this is negative - screens can help young people connect with friends, support learning and offer entertainment. No one is suggesting we return to the pre-Internet age.

But it also poses significant challenges, and parents are bearing the load. Beyond all the other pressures on their time, parents must also instil healthy digital habits that will serve children throughout their lives. It's a huge ask. Parents need more support now

Our research shows that while 87 per cent of parents say they would seek support for parenting issues such as screen time and social media use, only 37 per cent know where to find it. More than a third would turn to social media platforms like TikTok or Facebook for advice instead of evidence-based support. This is not a lack of willingness from parents, it is a lack of visible, trusted support embedded within everyday services.

Meanwhile our recent survey of family support practitioners found a 58 per cent increase in parents seeking help due to concerns about screen time. Among professionals, 82 per cent identified exposure to inappropriate content as the primary challenge associated with increased screen use, while 80 per cent highlighted mental health impacts linked to social media.

There is another approach: combining sensible interventions, like making schools phone-free, with trusted, evidence-based support that is universally available, so parents can access help quickly.

We have seen how this can work in Australia. Since June 2022, Triple P International has supported the Australian Government to deliver universal parenting support through the Parenting Education and Support Program, reaching more than 650,000 families. This offer now includes Triple P Online: Children and Screens, which equips parents with practical tools to support healthy digital habits.

Australia has gone further than the UK in age-restricting social media. But whatever legal steps governments take, or decide not to take, the need for support in the home remains the same.

To deliver lasting change, removing phones from schools must be backed by sustained investment in proven parenting support across health, education and community services. This matters not only for children's wellbeing but for the government's wider school readiness goals, as excessive screen use has been linked to impacts on language development, attention, social interaction and school attendance.

Guidance and legal requirements are welcome, but they are no silver bullet. Without evidence-based support for parents, we are only tackling half the problem.

Assoc Prof Matt Buttery is CEO of Triple P UK.

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