UEL expert guides national push on children's screen time

The first-of-its-kind guidance, developed with the Children’s Commissioner and leading health and education experts, sets out clear, evidence-based advice to help families build healthier screen habits from the earliest years. The announcement comes as the Prime Minister said he “won’t leave parents to face the screen-time battle alone.”

The guidance is available on the Best Start in Life website: Baby and toddler screen time guidance - Best Start in Life

Professor Sam Wass, Director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth at UEL, was among the experts involved in shaping the guidance. A leading researcher in early childhood development, his work focuses on how real-world environments including media use influence children’s attention, learning and emotional wellbeing.

He said,

Children’s screen use in the early years is changing rapidly, not just in how much they watch, but in the type of content they engage with.

Young brains process sights and sound very differently from adults, and early experiences can have lasting effects on attention, learning and emotional wellbeing.

Guidance like this helps families make informed choices about media use, supporting healthy development and stronger family connections. This is an area where our understanding is changing fast, and where small changes can make a big difference.”

Evidence-led guidance for a changing digital landscape

The new guidance responds to growing concern about how digital environments are shaping early childhood, particularly during a critical period when 90% of brain development occurs before the age of five.

Recent data highlights the scale of the challenge:

• 98% of two-year-olds are exposed to screens daily
• 24% of parents of 3–5-year-olds struggle to manage screen use
• 28% of children starting school have difficulty using books, with some attempting to “swipe” pages

Clear, practical advice for families

The guidance provides straightforward, research-informed recommendations to support healthier development:

• Under 2s: Avoid screen use except for shared, interactive activities
• Ages 2–5: Limit screen time to no more than one hour per day
• Routines: Avoid screens at mealtimes and before bedtime
• Content: Prioritise slow-paced, age-appropriate material
• Interaction: Co-viewing and conversation support stronger development than passive use 

Crucially, the guidance highlights that how children use screens matters as much as how long they spend on them, with shared, responsive interaction linked to better cognitive and social outcomes.

Research shaping national policy

At the University of East London, the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth is at the forefront of research into how early-life environments shape development. UEL researchers are leading work in real-world settings to better understand how families interact, how children learn, and how emerging technologies are influencing early childhood experiences.

This latest contribution reinforces UEL’s role in shaping national policy and delivering research that directly impacts children, families and communities.

Find out more about the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth and its research.

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