James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, has published a new report on children’s access to smartphones and social media, highlighting the growing challenges faced by families in Rushcliffe and calling for clearer rules and stronger leadership from the government.
The report is the output from a roundtable convened by Rushcliffe’s MP on 23 January 2026, which brought together pupils and teachers from seven Rushcliffe secondary schools with parents and carers to hear from an expert panel which included Ian Russell, founder of the Molly Rose Foundation. Drawing on feedback from over 200 local parents and direct conversations with young people in schools, the report shows that many families feel they are navigating an increasingly complex digital world without clear or consistent guidance.
While most people recognise that smartphones and social media bring both benefits and risks, the findings suggest that the current approach is not working for many. Rushcliffe parents and carers described feeling out of their depth, while young people demonstrated a strong desire to be part of the conversation.
The report makes five recommendations in total, calling for clearer and consistently enforced phone policies in schools; for an age rating approach to social media platforms; for better education and guidance for families; and for technology companies to protect children by design rather than as an afterthought. The report also emphasises the importance of ensuring young people’s voices are central to future discussions and decisions.
James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, said: “There is a moment in almost every parent’s life when they hand their child a smartphone for the first time. For some, it feels like a natural step. For others, it comes with a nagging sense of unease. For almost everyone, it marks the start of a journey that they weren’t properly prepared for.
“What I heard from families across Rushcliffe is that too many feel they are working this out alone. They want clearer policies, better support and a more joined-up approach so that parents and young people have a consistent understanding of the digital landscape.
“I welcome the fact that earlier this week, the government confirmed that phones will be banned in schools in England by law. This effectively addresses my first recommendation but there is still a lot more to do to make it safer for children online.”
The UK government consultation, “Growing up in the online world: a national conversation”, which includes proposals about smartphone use and social media access for children, closes on 26th May and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/growing-up-in-the-online-world-a-national-consultation
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Notes to Editors:
- This report is based on a roundtable held in Rushcliffe on 23 January 2026. 212 Rushcliffe parents and carers completed the pre-event survey.
- The report can be found here: https://www.jamesnaish.com/smartphone-and-social-media-access-and-usage-report/
