Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) for Guidance on Mobile Phones in Scotland's Schools

Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment Template

1. Brief Summary

The policy aim is to further encourage and support education authorities and schools to establish or review mobile phone policies in schools. The intended outcome is to improve pupil’s engagement with learning and consequently their educational and wellbeing outcomes by minimising the impact of mobile phone use during the school day, within lessons and within the school estate. The guidance was established in 2024 in direct response to the findings of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2023 which confirmed an emerging pattern of serious disruptive behaviour associated with inappropriate mobile phone use in schools. The refreshed guidance document continues to address these concerns, but seeks to further encourage education authorities and schools in taking action to implement restrictions on personal mobile phones during the school day and within the school estate.

Type of proposal

Update to decision of a strategic nature relating to the rights and wellbeing of children

Name the proposal, and describe its overall aims and intended purpose.

The aim of the guidance on mobile phones in Scotland’s schools is to support education authorities and schools to establish or review mobile phone policies in schools. Previous policy guidance reflects the earlier findings of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, relating to the inappropriate use of mobile phones in schools. This guidance was revised in 2024 to take account of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2023 which confirmed an emerging pattern of serious disruptive behaviour associated with inappropriate mobile phone use in schools. At that time the guidance was revised to include the policy considerations necessary for education authorities and schools in introducing restrictions or limitations on mobile phones in the school estate during the school day. More recently concerns have remained in relation to access to personal mobile phones in schools and the guidance has been refreshed to further encourage limitations on access to personal mobile phones in schools during the school day, in order to maximise the benefits that pupils are able to achieve from learning and to reduce negative impact to wellbeing where possible.

Start date of proposal’s development: May 2026

Start date of CRWIA process: May 2026

2. With reference given to the requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, which aspects of the proposal are relevant to children’s rights?

The refreshed guidance on mobile phones in Scotland’s schools further encourages education authorities and schools to introduce or refresh their mobile phone policies. The refreshed guidance therefore will have a direct effect on pupils who attend school and who are generally between the ages of 5 and 18. There is positive

impact identified in relation to best interests of the child (article 3), respecting the views of the child (article 12), and the right to education (article 24).

Whilst indirect negative effects may have been identified in relation to pupils with additional support needs, young carers and those who require to take and monitor medication, potential negative impacts have been mitigated as part of the policy approach. Consequently, a positive impact in relation to children with a disability (article 23) is also identified. These mitigations were introduced as a result of anecdotal and research evidence, the experiences of those who have implemented policies in schools and the views of stakeholders.

3. Please provide a summary of the evidence gathered which will be used to inform your decision-making and the content of the proposal.

Evidence From:

• existing research/reports/policy expertise
• consultation/feedback from stakeholders
• consultation/feedback directly from children and young people

There is a range of academic research available including new evidence published since the 2024 guidance^[i] on the impact of mobile phones in schools. This includes evidence from PISA 2022 that nearly a third of students in Scotland reported being distracted using digital devices in every or most maths lessons, and over a quarter reported being distracted by others’ digital device use^[ii]. This was found to have an impact on students’ educational attainment; on average across OECD countries, students who reported that they become distracted in every or most mathematics lessons scored lower in mathematics than students who reported that this never or almost never happens. However, the purpose of use was important. PISA found a positive relationship between score for mathematics and spending up to one hour per day on digital devices for learning activities in school, whereas the relationship became negative when students spend more than one hour per day on digital devices for learning in school. These findings suggest that moderate use of digital devices is not intrinsically harmful but it is the overuse and/or misuse of digital devices that is negatively associated with attainment.

There is limited research evidence available in relation to the views of children and young people on banning mobile phones in schools. There is one study identified which sets out the combined views of parents and carers and children and young people. The study is of small scale. PISA 2022 reported that in Scotland 20.8% of pupils agreed or strongly agreed that students should not be allowed to bring mobile phones to class.

There is significant anecdotal evidence of the views of a range of interested individuals on the benefits or negative impacts of mobile phones in schools and application of limitations^[iii].

In preparation for the 2024 guidance. officials benefitted from understanding the application of policies which are in practice in Scottish schools via direct engagement with those schools. This included understanding pupils’ views as part of development of those policies.

The development of the 2024 national guidance was informed by the views of a range of organisations as part of the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS). This Group was also responsible for the oversight of the research which established the issue. SAGRABIS was engaged on the proposed amendments to the refreshed guidance in May and June 2026.

4. Further to the evidence described at ‘3’ have you identified any 'gaps' in evidence which may prevent determination of impact? If yes, please provide an explanation of how they will be addressed.

The evidence base is currently limited in relation to the specific views of children and young people’s experiences of limitations of mobile phones in schools in comparison to the evidence available on others experiences. It is reported that young people who took part in a consultation on the policy in Edinburgh City Council had mixed views^[iv]. Just over half (53%) stated a preference for part restrictions with mobile phones allowed at lunch and breaktimes but not in class, and just 3% in favour of restrictions for the whole school day.

The evidence of pupils views will be further strengthened as a result of the experience in the policy, through additional research and evaluation evidence and as a result of specific planned engagement with young people. Impact is able to be determined via the anecdotal evidence provided through those with experience in schools and interested organisations who raised specific matters relating to children and young people’s experiences.

5. Analysis of Evidence

The guidance has been considered through the lens of children’s, parents and carers’ and employees’ rights. There was engagement with the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools and with some schools who have implemented policies which limit access to mobile phones during the school day, in the school estate in preparation for the 2024 guidance. The advice which was developed following this engagement remains as part of this refresh. This has been further supplemented by research evidence, including new research published since 2024 highlighted below, which confirmed the negative and positive impact of mobile phone use in schools in relation to attainment, distraction and structured learning opportunities. These have identified that there are clear benefits arising from less disruption to pupils’ learning during the school day and some more limited benefits in relation to attainment and achievement.

Anecdotal evidence from those who have experience of developing and implementing policies confirmed that where policies were established in consultation with the whole school community, including pupils, these have been successfully implemented and have benefitted the whole-school community.

There is published anecdotal evidence from stakeholders in relation to particular issues affecting children and young people, including those with disabilities, additional support needs, pupils who require to monitor medical conditions and young carers. Together, these evidence bases and engagement supported the development of the matters which were included as exceptions to the policy position. This included in relation to young carers, pupils with additional support needs and disabilities, and that young people with medical conditions may require to monitor them using mobile phones. The issue of anxiety as a result of not being able to freely access mobile phone was raised also.

6. What changes (if any) have been made to the proposal as a result of this assessment?

As a result of the assessment of evidence, the refreshed guidance continues to recognise the benefits to learning that mobile phones can bring when used as part of a staff led, organised learning activity. The guidance also recognises the evidence established as part of PISA 2022 and the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2023, which indicates that inappropriate use of mobile phones is distracting to the learning of pupils individually and collectively. This is an emergent trend within serious challenging behaviour in 2023. Therefore, the guidance offers advice to education authorities and schools on the limitation of access to mobile phones, during the school day and within the school estate.

As a result of the feedback in relation to particular groups of young people who may be negatively impacted by not being able to access their phones in schools, the guidance recognises the need to consider individual circumstances of some pupils. Therefore the guidance which informs local policy decisions includes the need to consider a range of individual circumstances linked to the representations made. These are already evident in practice within existing schools policies which are in place in some schools in Scotland.

As a result the refreshed guidance document continues to take an approach which seeks to gain the benefits of mobile phone use where appropriate, but also limits the effects of negative or inappropriate use in schools. The guidance is clear that the rights of pupils, parents and carers and school staff all require to be recognised and respected.