Education Minister backs Parent Pact to delay smartphones until age 14
- Love Ballymena
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Parents across Northern Ireland have welcomed a move by the Department of Education to formally endorse the Parent Pact, a voluntary initiative encouraging families to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the age of 14.
The Department has written to all school principals in Northern Ireland to raise awareness of the Parent Pact, developed by Smartphone Free Childhood, a grassroots parents’ movement representing more than 350,000 families across the UK.
Launched in September 2024, the Parent Pact is a digital tool that allows parents within the same school communities to collectively agree to delay smartphone ownership until at least the end of Year 10. The approach aims to remove the social pressure many families feel to give children smartphones earlier than they would like.
To date, parents of more than 3,000 children across over 350 schools in Northern Ireland have signed up, agreeing to wait until their child is at least 14 before introducing a smartphone.
The initiative has gained momentum amid growing concern over evidence linking early smartphone use to negative impacts on children’s mental health, wellbeing and social development.
Growing concern among parents
Recent polling cited by Smartphone Free Childhood shows that 94% of primary school parents believe smartphones are harmful. Despite this, smartphone ownership among young children remains widespread: one in five UK children aged three and four already own a smartphone, rising to a quarter of those aged five to seven.
By the age of 12, only 10% of children remain smartphone-free.
Campaigners argue this highlights a powerful “network effect”, where parents feel unable to act independently for fear their child will be socially isolated from peers.
The Parent Pact seeks to address this by enabling collective action. Once parents sign up, they can see how many others in their child’s school, year group and local area have joined, and connect through local Smartphone Free Childhood WhatsApp groups to offer mutual support.
Impact on childhood and wellbeing
Supporters point to research suggesting that the first generation of children to grow up with smartphones are now adults — and that those who received smartphones at a younger age report poorer mental health outcomes.
Since the launch of the first smartphone in 2010, the average amount of time teenagers spend with friends in person has fallen by 65%. Meanwhile, 12-year-olds in the UK now spend an average of 29 hours a week on their smartphones, equivalent to a part-time job, significantly reducing time for face-to-face interaction, outdoor play and creative activities.
Ministerial backing
Minister for Education with parents involved in leading the Smartphone Free Childhood movement in Northern Ireland and North Down MLA. L-R: Dr Peter Cosgrove, Rosalind McClean, Minster for Education Paul Givan and Peter Martin MLA
Education Minister Paul Givan said he strongly supports the principles behind the initiative.
“As Education Minister, I strongly support the principles of Smartphone-Free Childhood. Childhood is a critical period for cognitive, social and emotional development and unrestricted access to smartphones at an early age can undermine these foundations.
“By encouraging families to delay smartphone usage we are prioritising face-to-face interaction, creativity, mental well-being and safeguarding their ability to thrive in both academic and social environments.
“Technology plays an important role in education and society, but it must be introduced at the right time and in the right way. Waiting until 14 allows children to develop essential life skills without the constant influence of digital devices.
“I commend Smartphone-Free Childhood for their leadership in this area and urge parents, educators and communities to join us in bringing about change.”
Collective action over individual pressure
Rosalind McClean, Regional Co-Leader of Smartphone Free Childhood Northern Ireland, said the Parent Pact reflects growing frustration among parents over online safety.
“Despite years of online safety efforts, the digital world remains far from safe for children. The UK’s Online Safety Act has taken years to arrive, yet parents still see little improvement in their children’s digital lives.
“Until a safer internet becomes reality, many parents feel the only reliable option is to delay giving children smartphones — but no one wants to stand alone. That’s why collective action matters. Our Parent Pact empowers families to take that step together.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Minister for Education for his support of the Smartphone Free Childhood movement and for the Department of Education writing to all school leaders to make them aware of this tool. We encourage all school principals to signpost parents to the Parent Pact.
“We believe childhood is worth fighting for — and that it’s too short to be spent scrolling.”
Parents can find further information and resources at
Those wishing to sign the Parent Pact can do so in around 30 seconds via