EE launches free online safety sessions for parents

EE has launched free in-store 'Parents' Evening' appointments on online safety for families across the UK, making 36,000 hours of sessions available through September.

The half-hour appointments will be held in hundreds of stores, offering one-to-one help with parental controls, app settings and questions about children's social media use. They will continue during the academic year, allowing parents to return for refresher sessions each term.

The move follows research commissioned by the mobile and broadband provider that points to concern among teachers, parents and pupils about the effect of screen use outside school on behaviour and concentration in class. With smartphone ownership now widespread among secondary school children, the findings suggest the return to school after the summer break can be a flashpoint for disputes over device use and online habits.

Among secondary school teachers surveyed, 87% said they had seen attention spans shorten in recent years. Another 85% said issues that begin online, including group chat disputes and late-night scrolling, regularly disrupt lessons and reduce teaching time.

Teachers also reported that the period after the summer holidays is especially difficult. Two in five, or 39%, said re-establishing rules and expectations on phone use in the first few weeks of term is significantly harder than at any other point in the school year.

Similar tensions are evident at home. Nearly three-quarters of pupils surveyed, or 72%, said smartphones and social media had led to arguments with their parents over the summer, while 34% of parents said the start of term adds pressure as children readjust after heavier screen use.

Parents' concerns were not limited to time spent online. Almost a third, or 31%, said they were worried their child was encountering harmful or negative content, while 55% said the pace of change in technology left them feeling overwhelmed when trying to decide what boundaries to set.

More than half of parents, 52%, said dedicated sessions on children's online safety would help them manage the transition back into school routines. EE is using that demand as the basis for a retail offer that positions store staff as advisers on practical settings and household rules.

School pressure

The rollout coincides with renewed public debate over children's smartphone use, including rules on phones in schools and planned restrictions on social media access for under-16s. EE's polling suggests many families remain unclear about the timing and practical effect of those changes.

Seven in ten parents said they were pleased the government had intervened on social media access, yet 60% said they were worried the restrictions would be difficult to enforce. The research also found that 16% of parents mistakenly believed the ban was already taking effect, while 44% of children aged 11 to 15 said they had already discussed with friends how they might get around the restrictions.

More than half of 11 to 17-year-olds, or 56%, said they expected to move to different apps once the rules come into force. That points to a gap between policy announcements and what children may do in practice, leaving parents and schools facing a shifting set of challenges.

Alongside the store appointments, EE has worked with Matthew Burton, Headteacher of Thornhill Community Academy, and other school leaders to produce a short 'homework sheet' for parents. The 10-minute exercise is intended to help families start conversations at home and review parental controls before term begins.

Burton said schools often see the effects of a summer with fewer routines once pupils return to class. "Establishing good routines after a long summer holiday is crucial. We often see pupils come back to school after six weeks of relative freedom online and land with a bump at their school desk. For teachers, a lot of the first half of term is spent getting pupils to shake those bad habits and refocus on their studies.

"This isn't about demonising parents for letting kids use smart devices; with the right guardrails they can be an invaluable resource. But as a parent myself, I know the conversations that make the biggest difference happen at the kitchen table, so I wanted this homework sheet to give parents some genuinely useful tips to give their children the best possible start to the new school year," Burton said.

The sessions form part of a broader consumer offer that includes mobile plans for under-18s, network-level content filters and parental controls on home Wi-Fi. EE is seeking to position its stores as a source of support for families dealing with online safety questions, rather than only as sales outlets.

Claire Gillies, Chief Executive Officer of BT's Consumer Division, said the initiative was aimed at parents looking for practical advice. "The digital world brings huge opportunities for young people, but it can also be a source of anxiety for parents. As a parent of a teenager myself, I understand those challenges firsthand. That's why we're committed to giving families practical support and trusted advice when they need it most.

"As the UK's best network for families, we are committed to helping people stay connected with confidence. From our 'Parents' Evening' sessions to Safer SIMs and smartphone guidance, EE is helping families make informed decisions as children head back to school. We've made tens of thousands of appointments available in our stores nationwide, and I encourage parents to take advantage of that support," Gillies said.

Rachel Huggins, Chief Executive Officer of Internet Matters, said parents often feel they are struggling to keep up. "Many parents tell us they feel overwhelmed when it comes to their children's online safety and that managing children's screen time can feel like a constant battle. After a summer of changed routines and often increased screen use, the start of a new school year can be an ideal opportunity for families to reset digital habits and expectations together.

"One of the best places to start is with open and honest family conversations. Taking an interest in children's online lives, discussing why boundaries and balance in screen use are important and making sure they know they won't be blamed if something goes wrong can help create the trust they need to seek support when it matters most.

"The EE homework sheet is a useful way to help parents kick-start those conversations, while EE's 'Parents' Evening' sessions make it easier for busy families to access practical support on parental controls and online safety settings. Conversations and controls go hand in hand, and together they can help children enjoy the benefits of the digital world safely and confidently," Huggins said.