On Thursday, November 6, I’m hosting an early-evening panel event with Smartphone Free Childhood in Bordon, open to all parents, carers, teachers and anyone worried about how screens are reshaping young lives.

Because, let’s be honest - childhood is not what it used to be. What was once a time for curiosity, play, and muddy knees has, for many children, become a life lived through a four-inch screen. The smartphone, once hailed as a miracle of connection, is quietly stealing something precious: childhood itself.

Of course, there are benefits. Being able to call or message a child brings peace of mind, especially when they’re walking home alone. But with every convenience comes a hidden cost - and this one is proving devastating.

I’ve been working closely with Smartphone Free Childhood, including supporting cross-party discussions in Parliament, to confront the growing harm caused by smartphones and social media. The evidence is mounting, and it is impossible to ignore.

Nearly one in three 6 to 7 year olds, and more than 80 percent of 10 to 12 year olds, now have their own smartphone. The average 12 year old spends 29 hours a week on their device - more than a full day lost to scrolling.

And behind those numbers lie darker truths: self-harm among 10 to 12 year olds has risen by 364.5 percent for girls and 155.5 percent for boys.

A 2017 study found that teenagers who spend over five hours a day on a device are 71 percent more likely to be at risk of suicide. This so-called “smartphone generation” is also seeing a fivefold increase in mental health disorders.

Then there’s what children are seeing. Over half of 11 to 13 year olds have viewed hardcore pornography online - often through X (formerly Twitter). The Children’s Commissioner reported in 2022 that three-quarters of children had seen a beheading video. It’s horrifying, and it’s happening on the devices we hand to them.

Online child sexual abuse is rising too, with victims as young as three. And while parents battle to limit screen time, social media algorithms are designed to do the opposite - to hook, to lure, to keep young minds scrolling for that next hit of dopamine.

This isn’t about turning back the clock or rejecting technology. It’s about drawing a line. Protecting childhood. Reclaiming the freedom to imagine, to play, to grow - without the endless pull of a glowing screen.

Join me for the Smartphone Free Childhood Q&A on November 6 as we ask the hard questions, share experiences, and explore how, together, we can take back control - and give our children the chance to simply be children again.

Please visit this page to sign up.