Creating a new norm
for Guernsey children

Join the smartphone free movement for life over likes.

Every parent knows the feeling: the worry over screen time, the fear of cyberbullying, and the anxiety surrounding social media.

Smartphone Free Childhood Guernsey is part of a larger, rapidly growing international movement of parents, healthcare professionals, and education providers united by one belief: Childhood is simply too short to scroll. We believe that by uniting, we can give our children a choice, ensuring they enjoy a childhood rich in real-world development, not digital distraction.

Our mission is to give local parents the confidence, community support, and practical alternatives they need to delay smartphones for their children.

SFGC Aims

Awareness & Collective Action (Changing the Social Norm)

Empower Choice: Create a social norm and supportive structure for parents to delay smartphones until age 16 (Power in numbers).
Reframing the Narrative: Shift focus from fear of missing out to the positive gains (real-world development, better sleep, reduced anxiety).
Raise Awareness: Inform parents about specific dangers of early smartphone/social media access

Policy & Governance (Mandating Cross-Committee Protection, Prevention and Support)

Unified, Prevention-First Government Strategy. Formally recognise digital well-being as a top-tier, cross-committee safeguarding issue with a unified, community-led prevention strategy that keeps pace with fast-moving digital risks.
Device-Free Schools: Implement Bailiwick-wide smartphone-free school policies through to age 16.

Industry Partnership (Ensuring Safe Alternatives)

Age-Appropriate Products: Work with local companies (Sure, JT) to make "dumb phones" (call/text only), filtered internet, and parent-controlled devices standard, easily accessible options.
Clarity on Parental Controls: Clearer, simplified consumer guides on embedded parental control and safety features.
Encouraging Alternatives: Actively endorse and guide parents towards these basic devices for communication, normalising the safe alternative.

How can I join?

Join almost 600 parents and carers on our WhatsApp group. The group is there to bring parents together and give individuals a more powerful voice. Parents can’t do this on their own; https://chat.whatsapp.com/I04XFByMbroKAF5Wo9UusQ

If you would like to do more to help our collective cause, please contact us on sfcguernsey@gmail.com

Who are we?

Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) started in the UK in February 2024 and has quickly united over 350,00 parents world wide to "stand up for happier, healthier childhoods". The local SFC Guernsey Whatsapp group was started in April 2025, and a working party formed shortly after to support action locally. The working party consists of:

Emma Lawlor
Oliver Westgarth
Victoria Falla
Leanne Archer
Kristin Dowling

Between us, we have grown the Whatsapp group to nearly 600 members. We held a talk with Dr Sanjiv Nichani from Health Professionals for Safer Screens, in July 2025 with over 200 people attending, including many deputies. We have conducted 2 surveys, one for teachers and one for parents, receiving over 650 responses in total. We are currently liaising with the Education Department, a number of local deputies and local telecom companies to bring about a societal change, a shift in habits locally, and to break the norm of a screen filled childhood.

We are always looking for volunteers so if you would like to support what is possibly the most important grassroots movement of your child's life, please get in touch!

10 Big Wins So Far

Started a local movement with 600 like minded parents on our WhatsApp group
Launched our Carers and Parents Survey
Achieved widespread media coverage
Had over 200 people attend our expert event
Launched a teachers survey
Successfully worked with Sure to launch a data-free Basic Sharer plan.
Encouraged the Guille-Allès Library to stock relevant books
Regular liaison with the Education Committee
Engaged and met with Public Health
Launched this site to help parents and professionals with the information they need.

Join the WhatsApp group

SFCG Event, with Dr Sanjiv Nichani OBE

"I am terrified as to what these screens and apps are doing to our children," Dr. Nichani stated, capturing the gravity of the situation. "What I've been seeing is lots of children with communication problems, delayed language and, extremely worryingly, non-verbal children."

We were honoured to host Dr. Sanjiv Nichani OBE, a leading consultant paediatrician at Leicester Children's Hospital, this July 2025 at Les Beaucamp High School. Dr. Nichani addressed a packed hall of over 200 attendees, sharing his profound concerns about the impact of digital technology on early childhood development.

The central theme of the event was what Dr. Nichani has termed the "screendemic"—the widespread and often unsupervised exposure of young children to screens. His message was both urgent and vital: he believes that putting children in front of screens in early childhood could significantly hinder their language and communication development.

His powerful presentation provided invaluable insights and sparked important conversations among parents, educators, and healthcare professionals about the need to protect and nurture a child's early developmental years. His work highlights the critical importance of face-to-face interaction and play-based learning over passive screen time for building essential communication skills.

Teachers share their concerns

100% of our surveyed teachers say they are concerned about students' use of smartphones and social media, with many reporting impacts on mental health, behaviour, attention and social skills.

Disruption is Common in Secondary Education

Smartphones frequently interfere with teaching, particularly in secondary schools.

66.7% of respondents indicated that the presence of smartphones disrupted lessons in "Some," "Most," or "All" of their classes.
A majority of respondents reported spending more time dealing with smartphone-related issues than a year ago.
60% said that mental health impacts were the most noticeable impacts

"Off and away during the school day worked for several years, but it seems that as teachers we have taken our foot off the gas with it. Confiscation with parents collecting at the end of the day needs to be common practice." Teacher Feedback

Source SFCG Teachers Survey 2025

You are not alone

Our survey of 675 Guernsey parents and carers reveals a rising tide of concern about children’s smartphone use. Whilst responsibility has previously been placed with parents, this survey shows parents are now wanting support to tackle the issues of smartphones head-on and reduce their hold over children’s lives.

76% of parents report concerns about their children’s smartphone use.
By Year 6 (age 11), over a third have smartphones, and 38% of those are already experiencing problems.
By Year 10 (age 14), 79% are reporting issues relating to smartphone usage, 40% of parents report mental health impacts, and 30% report exposure to harmful content such as (often extreme) violence, (often hardcore) pornography, misogyny, and/or hate speech.

Tackling the crisis head-on. It’s time for action.

93% of parents want more support from schools and the government to manage the growing pressures and problems smartphones create.

The message is clear: Parents cannot face this alone. It’s time for schools, education, and government to step up.

Community Updates

Sure launch data-free plans with SFCG

Sure has launched a new pay monthly plan – ‘Basic Sharer’ – which includes unlimited calls and SMS messages but no mobile data. The plan is £12.50 a month and provides an option for parents who want their children to be connected so they can stay in touch, but not have internet access.

“Working with movements like Smartphone Free Childhood has highlighted how much our community cares about online safety. We see it as our responsibility to support families with the tools and guidance they need.” Sure

See Sure Resources Here

Guille-Alles Library Offers Valuable Resources for Parents

The library has a wide range of books available to borrow for free, the list includes

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Generation Zombie: How Devices are Damaging Our Children by Charlotte Armitage
Can Your Teen Survive – and Thrive – Without a Smartphone? by Melanie Hempe
Parenting for the Digital Generation by Jon M Garon
Unplugged Forever by John Deon
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
Dear Digital, We Need to Talk by Kirsty Goodwin

Explore Books Here

Local News

Support is building to keep childhood smartphone-freeMore than three-quarters of parents are concerned about their children’s smartphone usage, according to a new survey which has revealed the impact of the devices on local youngsters’ mental health.

Moves to protect kids from smartphone harm

States ‘late to the party’ in tackling AI images and fakesCampaigners for a Smartphone Free Childhood have welcomed proposals to update sexual offences laws to combat the threat of AI but said that the States was rather 'late to the party’.

'Guernsey should introduce social media control law'Campaigners are calling for the introduction of laws to restrict phone use for young people.

Smartphones are ‘poisoning’ children’s brains, says visiting speakerSmartphones are ‘poisoning’ children’s brains and regulation of devices cannot come soon enough, according to a visiting expert set to speak at an event in the island this weekend.

Rise in Guernsey sextortion attempts sparks police warningOfficers report cases have nearly doubled.

Teenager sentenced for social media child sexual offencesJessica Garnham-Burton posed as a child online to speak to two children, Guernsey Police say.

Political will to make action on smartphones a top priorityIt seems highly likely that new States members will be considering action on smartphones and children as one of their first priorities.

Global Support

Prince William gives insight into parenting as he reveals phone ruleThe Prince of Wales revealed that he and his wife Kate had imposed a 'strict' ban on mobile phones for Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.

Ofsted chief backs Australia-style social media ban for under-16sSir Martyn Oliver says the platforms are driving a surge in disruptive behaviour and school exclusions, and severe absence is also on the rise

Benedict Cumberbatch and Paloma Faith join phone-free parenting pactChris van Tulleken and Jamelia are among more than 100,000 parents pledging to delay their children’s access to social media and ‘addictive algorithms’

Be part of a global movement

Join over 80,OOO others

By signing this Pact, you're joining families across the UK who are choosing to wait to give their child a smartphone, until at least the end of Year 9. It takes 30 seconds to sign the Parent Pact, and the more of us who do, the quicker we'll change the social norm.

Sign the pact now - click here

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