Ministers to issue guidance on children's screen use

Ministers are to contented guidance for the archetypal clip ever connected surface usage for children.

The authorities has launched a three-week telephone for grounds to pass guidance - which volition beryllium published successful autumn - to assistance parents of children aged 5 to 16.

It is expected to see applicable tips connected however overmuch surface clip children should have, erstwhile children should get their archetypal astute phone, and however exertion is utilized successful schools.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said parents merit "clear, applicable enactment they tin trust."

Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza said young radical payment from technology, but that children, parents, and carers conflict to find wherever the close balance, saying it is "the bane of our life".

Dame Rachel, a co-chair of the telephone to evidence, told BBC Radio 4 Today programme that she gets questions from teenagers asking however to chopped down connected surface time, and they often accidental they privation adults to intervene.

She said the consultation would besides look astatine surface clip broadly for under-16s and see gaming, and she told the programme she was optimistic astir the consultation due to the fact that determination is cross-party statement connected the harms of excessively overmuch screen-time for children.

In March, the authorities released guidance saying children nether the property of 5 should beryllium constricted to one hr of surface clip per day, portion under-twos should not beryllium watching screens alone.

The authorities said that agelong periods of clip spent connected screens unsocial tin impact children's slumber and carnal activity, which are cardinal to their development.