Children Digital Wellbeing

Children and young people are growing up surrounded by screens and digital content. Supporting children’s digital wellbeing means helping them develop safe, balanced, and healthy relationships with technology, while encouraging creativity, learning, and connection.

What It Feels Like

Challenges with children’s digital wellbeing may include:

• Overuse: excessive time on devices impacting sleep, school, or relationships
• Exposure: encountering inappropriate or harmful content online
• Social pressure: navigating peer interactions, comparison, or bullying on platforms
• Balance: struggling to combine digital activities with outdoor play and face-to-face connection

Everyday Tools & Practical Tips

Ways to support children’s healthy digital use:

• Boundaries: set clear time limits for recreational screen use
• Shared activity: watch or play together online to better understand children’s experiences
• Open dialogue: encourage regular conversations about what they see and do online
• Offline time: balance screen use with outdoor play, sports, and creative hobbies
• Role modelling: demonstrate your own healthy digital habits to set an example

Longer-Term Approaches

Strategies for sustained digital wellbeing in children:

• Education: teach digital literacy, safety, and respect for others online
• Family agreements: create shared screen-time rules to promote accountability
• Confidence: empower children to make safe choices and speak up if they feel uncomfortable
• Support networks: engage schools, clubs, and community groups in promoting balanced digital use
• Flexibility: adapt boundaries as children grow and their needs change

When to Seek Professional Help

Seek guidance if:

• Digital use consistently disrupts a child’s sleep, school, or family life
• A child shows signs of anxiety, distress, or isolation linked to online activity
• Exposure to harmful or inappropriate content significantly impacts wellbeing
• Concerns about cyberbullying or unsafe online behaviour are ongoing

Moving Forward

Children can thrive with digital tools when guided with balance, education, and care. By fostering open communication, modelling healthy use, and seeking professional help when needed, families can nurture safe and positive digital wellbeing for young people.