Barnardos Online Safety Programme finds Irish Children Are “Plugged in But Switched Off”

Barnardos Children’s Charity has launched a webinar on Digital Wellbeing and Screen Time for parents and professionals working with children after it found Irish children were “plugged in but switched off”. As lockdown continues nationwide many parents have reported struggling with managing their children’s screen time which in turn is having an impact on their overall wellbeing. Supported by Google.org, the 2-hour webinar taking place on March 30, will provide key insights to safely managing an increasingly digital lifestyle. For information go to www.barnardos.ie/pluggedin.

The event will be moderated by Anton Savage and parenting expert, Joanna Fortune, will be in attendance speaking about screen time along with the benefits of technology in bringing families closer together. Representatives from Google and TikTok will present an overview of what they are doing to promote digital wellbeing, while a number of young people will also participate and give their take on digital well-being.

Barnardos Online Safety Programme Training Executive, Cliodhna Purdue said: “Insights from our Online Safety Programme show that children and parents are struggling with managing their screen time. As the lockdown continues, and life continues to become increasingly digital-focused, more and more are struggling with managing their digital wellbeing. Parents who have taken part in our online safety programme have spoken about their struggles with children’s meltdowns when they are asked to stop playing video games, some parents are also feeling guilty when their children say “put your phone away and play with me”.

“We hope our webinar is inclusive and collaborative and we aim to target parents and professionals from different backgrounds who work with children. As well as our expert speakers and panel discussion in our plenary session, we will also have break-out sessions which will allow for smaller group discussion and sharing of top tips that work to manage children’s digital wellbeing and screen time. Book your ticket now to avoid disappointment. Details on how to register for break-out sessions to follow later in the month.”