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Join the Multi-Agency Commitment to Delay Smartphone Use

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Impact on Brain Development
Safety & Wellbeing
Childhood, Play & Community
Early YearsSEND & Medical Needs
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Smartphones can wait.
Childhood Cant.
Helping children grow, learn and feel safe—without the pressure of early smartphone use. 

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Join the Multi-Agency Commitment to Delay Smartphone Use

Welcome

Solihull IRL is one of the first commitments of its kind in the country, bringing together schools, families, the NHS, community organisations and local services around one shared aim: protecting childhood in the smartphone age.

This space is for anyone thinking about how smartphones, social media and online life are shaping childhood today, and for those trying to navigate the growing national changes around smartphone use, online safety and social media for young people.

We called it IRL, short for “In Real Life”, because we believe children need more real conversation, real confidence, real play, real friendships and real connection. It is also a recognition that many adults are trying to understand a digital world that has changed incredibly quickly.

This is not about blame, shame or telling anyone what to do. Parents, schools and professionals are all trying to navigate a childhood landscape that is constantly changing and where some of the largest tech companies are using all of their resources to compete for our children's attention every day.

Solihull IRL is a place to find trusted information, practical support and advice from a community of people navigating this together, with one goal in mind: helping Solihull children spend more time connecting, growing, playing, learning and belonging in real life.

Solihull IRL is one of the first commitments of its kind in the country — bringing together schools, families, the NHS, community organisations and local services around one shared aim: protecting childhood in the smartphone age.

This space is for anyone thinking about how smartphones, social media and online life are shaping childhood today — and for those trying to navigate the growing national changes around smartphone use, online safety and social media for young people.

We called it IRL — short for “In Real Life” — because we believe children need more real conversation, real confidence, real play, real friendships and real connection. It is also a small nod to the fact that many adults are trying to understand a digital world that has changed incredibly quickly.

Most parents and professionals did not grow up with smartphones, algorithms and social media shaping childhood, yet we are all trying to work it out together.

You might be a parent trying to work out what feels right for your child, a young person hearing lots of different views, or someone who supports children and families through your work and wants to better understand not only the impact of smartphones and social media, but also how we can support children and young people to thrive alongside them.

This is not about blame, shame or telling anyone what to do. Parents, schools and professionals are all trying to navigate a childhood landscape that has changed faster than any of us could have expected, driven by technology and social media designed to keep young people online for longer.

Solihull IRL is a place to find trusted information, practical support and a community of people trying to navigate this together — helping children spend more time connecting, growing and belonging in real life.

Why?

When people talk about smartphones and childhood, the same themes come up again and again. This project focuses on three simple areas to help make sense of it.

Impact on Brain Development

How attention develops, how children learn, and how phone use can shape both over time. It also looks at what helps children build focus, patience and deeper thinking.

Safety & Wellbeing

How children feel, manage relationships and experience the online world. It also supports adults to respond in calm, steady and reassuring ways.

Childhood, Play & Community

The everyday experiences that matter most—time outside, movement, friendships and play. These are the building blocks of confidence, resilience and independence.

At its heart, this is simple.
Children need time to develop before stepping into a digital world that moves quickly and asks a lot of them.

This isn’t about getting it perfect.
It’s not about judgement or strict rules.

It’s about feeling supported.
Having clear, balanced information about smartphones, social media and their impact on childhood. And knowing that no family has to navigate these decisions alone.

Solihull IRL exists to bring people together—to share understanding, build confidence, and make it easier to take small, realistic steps that support children to grow up in a healthy, steady way.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

"This ‘great rewiring of childhood’ has interfered with children’s social and neurological development”

Childhood has changed quickly. Smartphones are now part of everyday life. They can be helpful and practical, but when they become part of childhood too early, they can begin to shape how children think, feel and spend their time.

Many parents talk about feeling pulled in different directions—wanting to stay connected, worrying their child might feel left out, and feeling like everyone else has already made a decision.

At the same time, both parents and people working with children are noticing negative changes—whether that’s in attention, friendships, behaviour or emotional wellbeing.

It can feel confusing. And sometimes overwhelming.

This is new for all of us. Many of today’s parents and professionals are the first generation supporting children through a digital world that is evolving faster than any of us can keep up with. We are all learning as we go.

Across schools, there has already been a clear shift. Most now have policies that limit or remove smartphone use during the school day, recognising the impact on learning, behaviour and social interaction.

Nationally, this focus is only growing, and with updated guidance from the Department for Education, expectations are continuing to tighten. Locally, further changes are being explored across Solihull Council schools for the 2026/2027 academic year, as part of a more consistent, joined-up approach.

There is also a wider conversation happening about children’s access to social media, with increasing discussion around stronger protections—including the possibility of restrictions for under 16s.

With so much changing, we wanted to create a space to support both families and professionals to make sense of what this means in real life. A place for clear information, practical advice, and shared support.

SEND & Medical Needs

As a multi-agency team working across education, health, and the community and voluntary sector, this is one of the areas we have spent the most time discussing, reflecting on and, at times, finding most challenging.

For many children and young people with additional needs, smartphones are not just devices they can be a lifeline—supporting communication, providing reassurance, helping with regulation, and in some cases, meeting essential medical needs.

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