Public health agency issues new guidance aimed at improving children’s wellbeing and digital habits
Sweden’s public health agency has called on parents to significantly reduce smartphone use around children, urging families to create “phone-free” spaces at home after new research highlighted the impact of adult screen behavior on children’s development and habits.
The updated guidance moves beyond earlier recommendations for parents to “reflect” on their screen time, now offering concrete behavioural changes aimed at improving family interaction and children’s digital wellbeing.
“Put your phone away when you’re with your child”
The agency’s central recommendation is straightforward: parents should avoid using mobile phones when spending time with their children unless necessary.
It also encourages shared digital awareness:
“Put your phone away when you’re with your child. Use it only if you need to or when you’re using it together,” the agency said.
Officials emphasized that children not only respond to what adults say, but also mirror what they do, meaning parental screen habits directly influence children’s behaviour.
Homes with “screen-free zones”
The guidance also suggests creating designated phone-free areas in the home, such as:
- dining tables
- bedrooms
- shared family spaces
Parents are also encouraged to “protect and respect” children’s online presence, including careful consideration before posting images or videos of them.
Research links parental screen use to child behaviour
The Swedish public health authority commissioned research into the relationship between adult screen use and children’s wellbeing. The findings indicated:
- parental smartphone use can reduce quality of interaction with children
- children of heavy screen users are more likely to develop similar habits
- early digital environment strongly shapes long-term behaviour patterns
Helena Frielingsdorf, a psychiatrist and researcher involved in the work, noted that children are influenced by adult behaviour as much as verbal guidance, and that small daily changes can have long-term effects.
Broader national digital wellbeing policy
Sweden has already introduced structured screen-time recommendations for children:
- no non-school screen time for under 2
- up to 1 hour/day for ages 2–5
- up to 2 hours/day for ages 6–12
- up to 3 hours/day for ages 13–18
The guidelines also recommend avoiding screens in the hours before bedtime and keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight.
School phone bans also expanding
In parallel, Sweden is implementing a nationwide school smartphone ban under its Education Act. From the 2026–27 academic year, mobile phones will be banned in schools up to grade 9 (ages 15–16), reinforcing a broader policy shift toward reducing digital distraction in childhood environments.
Policy context
The move reflects growing European concern around children’s digital exposure and its impact on attention, sleep, and social development. Sweden’s approach is increasingly focused on behavioural modelling at home, not just regulation of children’s own screen time.
