Nova Eden leads the north London branch of Smartphone Free Childhood

ISLINGTON schools are falling behind in their approach to restricting smartphone use, a children’s mental health expert has said.

Nova Eden leads the north London branch of Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC), a campaign for parents to delay giving their children handsets and to keep phones out of schools.

The group – which says children’s development and mental health are being negatively impacted by the scrolling and harmful content that comes with smartphone use – has spearheaded change in Barnet, where all schools have been phone-free since September, and is working with headteachers in Camden, Haringey and Brent.

But Islington heads are yet to engage with the charity.

Ms Eden said: “What has been missing in Islington is just that initial spark and push. It’s not that Islington is a lost cause, it’s just that they are behind other areas.

“The reason we’ve had so much momentum elsewhere is that we’ve been doing parent talks in schools – that is the critical way to raise awareness within parent communities. As parents we all feel this pressure to give our children a smartphone because everyone else has one and we worry about them being isolated. One parent can’t do it on their own.

“Once parents become supportive, it is easier for heads to make their schools smartphone free, then it is easier for neighbouring schools to follow, and it’s like a snowball effect.”

Last week the government announced that schools are “expected”, though not obliged, to be “phone-free by default” – but Ms Eden said legislation is needed.

“We need clear guidance from the Government, otherwise it puts all this pressure on schools,” she said. “I work with hundreds of headteachers, and a lot of them are concerned about pushback from parents.

“Unfortunately there are lots of parents who are still unaware of the dangers of smartphones and social media.

“There have been situations where a smartphone is confiscated during school hours and then the parents come in and threaten to call the police if they don’t give back the phone.”