Creating a new norm
for Guernsey children
Join the smartphone free movement for life over likes.
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Creating a new norm
Every parent knows the feeling: the worry over screen time, the fear of cyberbullying, and the anxiety surrounding social media.
Smartphone Free Childhood Guernsey is part of a larger, rapidly growing international movement of parents, healthcare professionals, and education providers united by one belief: Childhood is simply too short to scroll. We believe that by uniting, we can give our children a choice, ensuring they enjoy a childhood rich in real-world development, not digital distraction.
Our mission is to give local parents the confidence, community support, and practical alternatives they need to delay smartphones for their children.
Unplugged - Community Event
Unplugged - Community Event
On Saturday 20 June, around 150 people came to Les Beaucamps High School for Unplugged. Two speakers. One clear message: we are past asking whether there is a problem. The question now is what we do about it.
David Smith, headmaster of The Fulham Boys School, came to tell us that a comprehensive smartphone ban is possible — and that Guernsey has no excuse not to act. Emma Martins, data protection and ethics expert, laid out plainly what is happening to children online right now: declining mental health, addiction, AI-generated violent and sexual content, and algorithms that actively push harmful material to young profiles. This is not rare. This is by design.
Neither speaker pretended there was a single fix. But both were clear that doing nothing is not an option.
See our full event page and the slides here
Explore alternatives
Explore alternatives
The XploraOne is not a smartphone, it is a startphone: a small, child-sized phone with no internet, no social media and no apps. Described by Smartphone Free Childhood (UK) as a truly modern brick phone, intentionally simple, safe and distraction free.
Brick is a physical device designed to help adults manage smartphone addiction and compulsive screen time. For older ones who already own a smartphone and are struggling to put it down. Tap your phone against the Brick to lock chosen apps — they stay locked until you physically return to the Brick to unlock.
Karri is a screenless voice messenger designed with award-winning agency Pentagram. Children slide a single button to record and send voice messages to parents — like a modern walkie-talkie. No screen. No apps. No algorithmic rabbit holes. GPS tracking, safe zones and parent notifications via the Karri app. Created by Pete Clifford, a parent who couldn't find a safe first device for his seven-year-old son.
Mighty is a screenless, pocket-sized music player that lets children listen to their Amazon Music playlists completely offline — no phone, no screen, no internet connection. Parents choose and sync the playlists; children use simple physical buttons to play, pause and skip. Holds over 1,000 songs.
The World Is Acting — Where Is Guernsey?
The World Is Acting — Where Is Guernsey?
114 countries — 58% of the world — now have a national school phone ban. Guernsey is not among them.
114 countries — 58% of the world — now have a national school phone ban. Guernsey is not among them.
Opinion: The Internet is not a road – and our children are not safe to cross it alone. As published in the Guernsey Press
Opinion: The Internet is not a road – and our children are not safe to cross it alone. As published in the Guernsey Press
Previous SFCG Event, with Dr Sanjiv Nichani OBE
Previous SFCG Event, with Dr Sanjiv Nichani OBE
"I am terrified as to what these screens and apps are doing to our children," Dr. Nichani stated, capturing the gravity of the situation. "What I've been seeing is lots of children with communication problems, delayed language and, extremely worryingly, non-verbal children."
We were honoured to host Dr. Sanjiv Nichani OBE, a leading consultant paediatrician at Leicester Children's Hospital, this July 2025 at Les Beaucamp High School. Dr. Nichani addressed a packed hall of over 200 attendees, sharing his profound concerns about the impact of digital technology on early childhood development.
The central theme of the event was what Dr. Nichani has termed the "screendemic"—the widespread and often unsupervised exposure of young children to screens. His message was both urgent and vital: he believes that putting children in front of screens in early childhood could significantly hinder their language and communication development.
His powerful presentation provided invaluable insights and sparked important conversations among parents, educators, and healthcare professionals about the need to protect and nurture a child's early developmental years. His work highlights the critical importance of face-to-face interaction and play-based learning over passive screen time for building essential communication skills.
Local News
Local News
Global Support
Global Support
About SFCG
Who are we?
Who are we?
Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) started in the UK in February 2024 and has quickly united over 350,00 parents world wide to "stand up for happier, healthier childhoods". The local SFC Guernsey Whatsapp group was started in April 2025, and a working party formed shortly after to support action locally. The working party consists of:
Emma Lawlor
Oliver Westgarth
Victoria Falla
Leanne Archer
Kristin Dowling
Between us, we have grown the Whatsapp group to nearly 600 members. We held a talk with Dr Sanjiv Nichani from Health Professionals for Safer Screens, in July 2025 with over 200 people attending, including many deputies. We have conducted 2 surveys, one for teachers and one for parents, receiving over 650 responses in total. We are currently liaising with the Education Department, a number of local deputies and local telecom companies to bring about a societal change, a shift in habits locally, and to break the norm of a screen filled childhood.
We are always looking for volunteers so if you would like to support what is possibly the most important grassroots movement of your child's life, please get in touch!
SFGC Aims
SFGC Aims
Awareness & Collective Action (Changing the Social Norm)
Awareness & Collective Action (Changing the Social Norm)
Empower Choice: Create a social norm and supportive structure for parents to delay smartphones until age 16 (Power in numbers).
Reframing the Narrative: Shift focus from fear of missing out to the positive gains (real-world development, better sleep, reduced anxiety).
Raise Awareness: Inform parents about specific dangers of early smartphone/social media access
Policy & Governance (Mandating Cross-Committee Protection, Prevention and Support)
Policy & Governance (Mandating Cross-Committee Protection, Prevention and Support)
Unified, Prevention-First Government Strategy. Formally recognise digital well-being as a top-tier, cross-committee safeguarding issue with a unified, community-led prevention strategy that keeps pace with fast-moving digital risks.
Device-Free Schools: Implement Bailiwick-wide smartphone-free school policies through to age 16.
Industry Partnership (Ensuring Safe Alternatives)
Industry Partnership (Ensuring Safe Alternatives)
Age-Appropriate Products: Work with local companies (Sure, JT) to make "dumb phones" (call/text only), filtered internet, and parent-controlled devices standard, easily accessible options.
Clarity on Parental Controls: Clearer, simplified consumer guides on embedded parental control and safety features.
Encouraging Alternatives: Actively endorse and guide parents towards these basic devices for communication, normalising the safe alternative.
How can I join?
How can I join?
Join almost 600 parents and carers on our WhatsApp group. The group is there to bring parents together and give individuals a more powerful voice. Parents can’t do this on their own; https://chat.whatsapp.com/I04XFByMbroKAF5Wo9UusQ
If you would like to do more to help our collective cause, please contact us on sfcguernsey@gmail.com
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