Peace of mind for UK parents: Anxious Mums and Dads support smartphone ownership for kids’ location safety

LONDON, UK. February 21st, 2024 - Smartphones play a vital role when it comes to safety, independence and convenience for pre and early teens according to UK parents, reveals new data today. According to the research, the majority of parents feel kids should have a phone by age 13, and 67% rank safety and security as the number one reason for providing their child with a mobile phone, far outpacing other factors such as educational needs, convenience, and social lives.

 

The new insights from family locator app and safety membership platform Life360 reveal that despite many spending their youth ‘playing out’ and pulling ‘all-nighters’ with pals, times are a-changing, and the same can’t be said for how they parent their own offspring. Two-thirds of UK parents with kids aged 13 and under describe themselves as more anxious than their parents were and often take more precautions than their parents did.

 

These UK parents with children aged 13 and under, commonly referred to as ‘Gen Alpha’, say their parents left them home alone (67%), let them travel to school without adult supervision (81%), and go out with friends unsupervised (67%) when they were children.

But now they are parents themselves, most are less likely to allow their own children to do unsupervised life activities before their teenage years (60%, 73%, and 59% for the situations outlined, respectively).

 

In the age of digitally native families, many are embracing technology as a means to provide peace of mind when it comes to modern-day parenting and feel reassured that it is easier to keep track of kids than it was when they were younger.

 

Of parents whose children have smartphones, an overwhelming majority seek reassurance by actively using location-sharing technology, and many agree it makes them significantly more likely to allow their children to do major activities like travel to and from school (86%) and go into town or to shopping centres with friends (86%) unsupervised. In terms of other areas of smartphone usage, just 30% were opposed to their child using social media.

 

In light of growing parental concerns, parenting expert Kirsty Ketley has been commissioned by Life360 to develop tips for parents on how to encourage children’s independence in the safest way.

 

She says: “Today, our parenting styles are shaped by the complexities of the modern world. While our parents had their own challenges to navigate, we now face additional considerations such as social media, knife crime, and county/local lines. These factors add to the complexity of fostering independence in our children when they are away from home.

 

“Apps are a very normal part of the modern world, and using a location-sharing app is a great way for children to allow their parents to know their whereabouts without having to ring or send messages, while also giving parents peace of mind. Of course, children need to know that they are being tracked, but rules can be put in place – jointly made by kids and parents. This way, children can still have their privacy and independence while knowing their parents are there should they need them.”

 

Even among the 40% of respondents whose children do not have a mobile phone, most say they will require active location sharing when the time comes (87%) and more than half of those will require it always (57%). The majority of parents rate location-sharing technology as necessary in two main cases; for contacting emergency services and when their child is travelling without a parent or guardian.

 

David Rice, International GM and CSO for Life360, said: “We commissioned this research to understand real-life concerns of UK parents and the steps they take to feel reassured about their children’s safety. The findings reinforce the fact that using location-sharing apps can provide families with a sense of security about each other’s safety and whereabouts whilst opening lines of communication, improving trust and allowing kids more freedom.

 

“It’s beneficial for tweens and teens to have access to smartphones as this technology often becomes an integral part of day-to-day family life across multiple generations and, in some cases, vital in emergency situations.”