The Purpose Pod: Creating safer environments - the Smartphone Free Childhood movement

In this episode of the Purpose Pod, we sit down with the co-founder of Generation Focus and a regional leader for Smartphone Free Childhood, Charlotte Ashton. She’s one of the many voices at the centre of one of the fastest moving shifts in UK education: the push to remove smartphones from schools. This is something which is backed by our very own people who, in a recent internal survey, voted overwhelmingly in favour of a full social media ban or a ban with limits for U16s.

From the moment that first sparked their involvement, to the stories that made the issue feel urgent, we dive deep into why momentum is accelerating and what’s really happening on the ground in classrooms, staff rooms and within homes. We explore:

• The emotions and fears parents share behind closed doors
• The real impact smartphones are having on children’s wellbeing, learning and relationships
• Why secondary headteachers are desperate for change and the challenges holding them back
• Schools already leading the way with simple phone only policies
• Why a statutory ban could be a game changer
• The mission behind Generation Focus and how you can support the movement.

If you’re a parent, educator, policymaker or just someone curious about the future of childhood, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.