Independent review
Completed
Screen use by children aged under 5
The findings and recommendations of the Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group on the effects of all types of screen use in the early years of childhood.
Government Response
No formal point-by-point government response to the EYSTAG report's 7 recommendations was published. DfE and DHSC published new screen-time guidance for parents of under-5s (via the Best Start in Life website) on 26-27 March 2026, informed by the report, as the government's practical action alongside its wider online-safety work.
Recommendations
Recommendation 1
Who uses screens with children, and how they use them, matters. Responsive interaction between parents and children when using screens can prevent harms and promote development for young children
Recommendation 2
Time matters: parents should remain cautious about screen use in the under-fives
Recommendation 3
What children are watching is important
Recommendation 4
Safety is paramount
Recommendation 5
Think about your own screen and media use
Recommendation 6
Providing guidance and support for parents
Recommendation 7
Digital screens are everywhere in modern life and bring new challenges for parents and carers; yet balancing negatives and positives in children's lives is familiar to parents
No recommendations with this response.