The first publication of The Schools Health Research Network (SHRN) primary school data dashboard, analysed by Public Health Wales, shows that more than half (53.3 per cent) of girls in year six of primary schools – those aged 10 and 11 – report using social media websites and apps regularly, along with 49.7 per cent of boys the same age. In addition, three quarters of children this age own smartphones.
The data, which comes from the SHRN Student Health and Well-being Survey in Primary Schools carried out by Cardiff University, shows that there is a steady increase in the regular use of social media sites through primary school, with 20.4 per cent of boys and 18.6 per cent of girls using them in year three, rising each year as children progress through primary school.
The survey also showed that more primary school children own smartphones as they get older, with around 39 per cent of children in year three (seven to eight years old) owning a smartphone to more than three-quarters in year six (75 per cent of boys and 77.2 per cent of girls). It shows a steady growth through the primary school years of smartphone ownership, with around 47 per cent of year four children owning the devices, and 58-60 per cent in year five.
The data is gathered from surveys answered by primary school children in years three to six during school hours in 2024. Over 50,000 children from more than 500 primary schools in all areas of Wales completed the survey, making it the largest survey of the health and well-being of primary-aged children in Wales. The aim of the SHRN data is to support schools by providing robust, national-level data on children’s health and well-being, so that teachers and policymakers can ensure that they are providing the best support to pupils and responding to emerging influences on learner health and well-being.
The survey asked children if they have accessed social media sites such as Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat or Facebook, and if they did how often they tended to access them each week. Most major social media platforms set a minimum age of 13 for users.
Lorna Bennett, Consultant in Public Health (Educational Settings) for Public Health Wales, said: “The level of social media use at such a young age indicated by the SHRN survey is a potential concern as there’s evidence that social media use can be associated with negative impacts on mental health for some children.
“Regular exposure to social media websites and apps can have a negative impact on young people. Frequent engagement can heighten perceived social pressures and social comparisons which can negatively affect well-being and body image.
“Being on social media sites carries the risk of exposure to harmful content and inappropriate contact with adults, and young children are less able to discern what is appropriate contact or assess potential risks. Exposure to addictive features, such as infinite scrolling, that can extend the time children are on apps, taking them away from other activities, such as physical activity or other hobbies and interests. There are also growing concerns that addictive features may influence brain development and behaviours such as impulse control and attention spans.
“In addition, it carries the risk of being exposed to inappropriate advertising and content not designed for their age group. Everything that they share, post or engage with online will be available forever, and can be used to create digital profiles that will stay with them for life, potentially causing issues in the future.
“Given the level of smartphone ownership among children and young people in Wales, the announcement of an upcoming ban on under 16s accessing high risk social media platforms, and restrictions on older teens accessing platforms late at night, are important steps in ensuring children and young people continue to benefit from technology whilst being kept safe online.”
“We would advise parents and carers to carefully monitor and restrict social media use among young children according to platform restrictions, and to ensure that children experience a range of different activities outside of school time.”
Director of SHRN Dr Kelly Morgan, based at DECIPHer in Cardiff University, said: “These findings, set within a wider context where many learners regularly use digital devices for entertainment, highlight an issue that needs ongoing monitoring in a rapidly changing digital environment. SHRN gathers information on a wide range of areas relating to children’s health and well-being. This robust, national-level data helps schools better understand the experiences of their learners. The insights are intended to support teachers, enabling them to respond to emerging issues and strengthen the support they offer to children and young people.”
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Editor’s notes
This work uses data provided by Cardiff University through the School Health Research Network (SHRN). SHRN is a partnership between Cardiff University, the Welsh Government, and Public Health Wales, funded by the Welsh Government. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of SHRN, Cardiff University, or its partners.
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