View in EDS

Screen Use by Children Aged under Five: Independent Report. Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Screen Use by Children Aged under Five: Independent Report. Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group
Language: English
Authors: Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group, Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom)
Source: UK Department for Education. 2026.
Availability: UK Department for Education. Castle View House East Lane, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2GJ, UK. Tel: +44-37-0000-2288; Fax: +44-19-2873-8248; Web site: http://www.education.gov.uk
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 50
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Information Analyses
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Computer Use, Television Viewing, Young Children, Guidelines, Government Role, Computer Uses in Education, Parent Role, Child Development, Public Policy, Time, Child Safety, Parent Influence, Family Environment, Child Health, Well Being, Risk, Artificial Intelligence, Disabilities
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
Abstract: Digital technology is now used in nearly every part of daily lives for families in England. They use it for many different purposes, utilising many different devices. Screen use for the under-fives should always be understood within the wider context of their overall learning and development experience, complementing, rather than replacing, the vital role of face-to-face interaction, play, and exploration. Whilst high-quality digital content can support early learning, it cannot substitute for the social, emotional, and physical experiences that come from real-world engagement. For young children especially, responsive adult-child interaction remains central to healthy development, and screen use should be designed to enhance, not diminish, these foundational experiences. The UK Government has commissioned this review because it recognises the need to balance the embracing of technology with promoting the health and development of younger children, so that they can thrive. The Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group (EYSTAG) was established by the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to review the currently available evidence on early years screen time and provide its own expert advice to inform new government guidance on screen time for children aged under five. The panel included eminent experts in early childhood development and screen use within the UK. This report comprises the panel's expert opinion and a summary of the evidence it collected and reviewed. It includes the panel's recommendations to government for guidance to parents but is not guidance in and of itself. EYSTAG has not sought to provide advice for early years educational settings, where the use of screens for educational purposes requires different considerations. Between January and March 2026, the panel considered evidence of both positive and negative impacts of screen use in children under five years of age from a rapid review of the scientific literature and consultation with stakeholders, parents and children themselves. The panel explains the methodology later in this report and in detail in the related "Methods for review of systematic reviews" report. This report provides recommendations for guidance to parents on positive steps they can take regarding screen use to support their children's wellbeing and development. The panel have sought to present a balanced view, being clear where there is insufficient evidence to reach a definitive conclusion but taking account of the panel's expertise in child development. The panel took a precautionary approach where evidence was particularly lacking, emphasising caution and avoiding potential harm.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679959
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED679959
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED679959
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Screen Use by Children Aged under Five: Independent Report. Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Early+Years+Screen+Time+Advisory+Group%22">Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Department+for+Education+%28DfE%29+%28United+Kingdom%29%22">Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom)</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22UK+Department+for+Education%22"><i>UK Department for Education</i></searchLink>. 2026.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: UK Department for Education. Castle View House East Lane, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2GJ, UK. Tel: +44-37-0000-2288; Fax: +44-19-2873-8248; Web site: http://www.education.gov.uk
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 50
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Information Analyses<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Use%22">Computer Use</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Television+Viewing%22">Television Viewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Guidelines%22">Guidelines</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Government+Role%22">Government Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Uses+in+Education%22">Computer Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Role%22">Parent Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Policy%22">Public Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time%22">Time</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Safety%22">Child Safety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Influence%22">Parent Influence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Environment%22">Family Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Health%22">Child Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Risk%22">Risk</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Artificial+Intelligence%22">Artificial Intelligence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disabilities%22">Disabilities</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Digital technology is now used in nearly every part of daily lives for families in England. They use it for many different purposes, utilising many different devices. Screen use for the under-fives should always be understood within the wider context of their overall learning and development experience, complementing, rather than replacing, the vital role of face-to-face interaction, play, and exploration. Whilst high-quality digital content can support early learning, it cannot substitute for the social, emotional, and physical experiences that come from real-world engagement. For young children especially, responsive adult-child interaction remains central to healthy development, and screen use should be designed to enhance, not diminish, these foundational experiences. The UK Government has commissioned this review because it recognises the need to balance the embracing of technology with promoting the health and development of younger children, so that they can thrive. The Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group (EYSTAG) was established by the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to review the currently available evidence on early years screen time and provide its own expert advice to inform new government guidance on screen time for children aged under five. The panel included eminent experts in early childhood development and screen use within the UK. This report comprises the panel's expert opinion and a summary of the evidence it collected and reviewed. It includes the panel's recommendations to government for guidance to parents but is not guidance in and of itself. EYSTAG has not sought to provide advice for early years educational settings, where the use of screens for educational purposes requires different considerations. Between January and March 2026, the panel considered evidence of both positive and negative impacts of screen use in children under five years of age from a rapid review of the scientific literature and consultation with stakeholders, parents and children themselves. The panel explains the methodology later in this report and in detail in the related "Methods for review of systematic reviews" report. This report provides recommendations for guidance to parents on positive steps they can take regarding screen use to support their children's wellbeing and development. The panel have sought to present a balanced view, being clear where there is insufficient evidence to reach a definitive conclusion but taking account of the panel's expertise in child development. The panel took a precautionary approach where evidence was particularly lacking, emphasising caution and avoiding potential harm.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: ERIC
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED679959
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679959
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 50
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Use
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Television Viewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Guidelines
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Government Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Time
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Safety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Influence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Family Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Risk
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial Intelligence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Screen Use by Children Aged under Five: Independent Report. Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom)
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: UK Department for Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1