Parents asked to delay smartphone use in kids

“The South Australian government has prompted parents to commit to delaying buying their kids a mobile phone in a bid to improve learning and mental health in students. The government hopes to gain support from parents through a presentation delivered by Wait Mate , a not-for-profit that advocates for no smartphone use in children before Year 7. Every school in the state, private and public, will be able to host a free Wait Mate session to explain the effects of mobile phone use to the community. The government cited research in international journal Pediatrics that found children who own a smartphone by age 12 are at greater risk of depression, obesity and lack of sleep. Wait Mate urges parents to join its movement by signing an online pledge to not let their children use a smartphone until they turn 12. Wait Mate SA director Emily Harrison said school responses to the first round of expressions of interest have been strong; 70 schools have already signed up to host a session. More on this story: Sydney school bans phones past gate | Victoria bans phones in non-govt schools | ‘Top blokes‘ to mentor at-risk Qld boys, teens “Wait Mate is about making it easier for families to delay smartphones by backing each other, and when your school reaches out, we’d simply encourage parents to rock up and be part of it,” she said. Primary schools have access to the program from June 1, 2026, and high schools from June 1, 2027. A public campaign will accompany the program to “highlight the risks of smartphones, promote the benefits of getting kids off screens and support parents to maintain phone-free pacts as their children start high school.” South Australia was the first state to ban mobile phones in schools and limit social media use for young people. All jurisdictions in Australia have banned mobile phones in schools as research into the effect of screen time on children continues to advance. Victoria has also banned smart watches and has limited screen time for very young children. Education Minister Lucy Hood said her plan is to “get kids active and off screens, away from addictive tech that impacts their learning.” “We are supporting parents to stand together to give their kids a smartphone-free childhood,” she said. “It’s heartening to see so many schools across the state wanting to get involved in the Wait Mate program and help connect like-minded families within their school communities.”

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