Kildare schools make pact to go 'phone free'

A HOST of local primary schools are going to go phone free in order to tackle concerns about children’s access to smartphones and social media.

The Parents’ Associations of 11 primary schools in Naas and its surrounding areas (including Clane, Eadestown and Two Mile House), in conjunction with school management and teachers launched a ‘Go Phone Free’ initiative at the Osprey Hotel in Naas.

With over 200 parents, guardians and members of the local community, including Mayor Fintan Brett and councillors Ger Dunne and Evie Sammon, in attendance, the meeting heard from Brian Barron, principal of Portlaw National School, on his experience of successfully implementing a voluntary ‘Go Phone Free’ code in over 70 schools in Co Waterford.

The event also heard from Catherine Hallissey, a highly-regarded child psychologist from Cork, who provided hands-on tips on how to model, mentor and manage our children's screentime.

She also advised on ways in which people can better support their children safely to navigate the online world.

‘Go Phone Free’ is a voluntary initiative which invites parents and guardians collectively to agree, in respect of their primary school children, to the following code: no smartphones while in primary school, no social media while in primary school, and to respect the age rating on video games.

Organisers believe that this initiative offers parents and guardians, who are concerned about their children having access to a smartphone and social media, a tool to help address the above issues.

By collectively embracing a voluntary code, schools, parents and guardians are working together in order to create a safer and healthier environment for primary school children.