Parental Insights on School Interventions for Safe and Healthy Online Use
Parenting in the digital age is fraught with challenges, particularly concerning adolescents’ online behaviour. This study explored UK parents’ views on the need for school-based interventions to curb excessive or problematic internet use, improve parent-child communication, and reduce family conflicts. Through thematic analysis of nine interviews, three main themes emerged: schools as hubs for digital education and prevention, the importance of mental health literacy to address impacts and excessive use, and the need for psychoeducation and skill-building to manage screen time, content, and online contexts.
These findings are crucial for child safety, highlighting the role of schools in educating about the digital world and providing tools to navigate it healthily. Parents suggest that schools can help prevent problematic online behaviours by offering digital education and mental health support, thereby fostering better communication and reducing conflicts at home. Future efforts should focus on the feasibility and effectiveness of such interventions to support young people’s emotional well-being and prevent the escalation of problematic internet use.
DATA
- CategoryPolicy papers
- CountryUnited Kingdom
- LanguageEnglish
- Type of resourceDocument