Why families matter in the debate on smartphones in schools

As director of COFACE Families Europe for 10 years (and mother of two girls), I have followed closely digitalisation trends and their impact on families across the continent. One of the recent key questions is about smartphone bans in schools – a trend that has led to much discussion within our network, with mixed views and opinions. Why is the network discussing this topic? Because parents and carers have opinions about school policies and want to be consulted and involved in policies that impact their children and their learning journey.

What does the latest research on mobile phones in schools say?

Recent studies offer a snapshot of current mobile phone policies in schools across Europe. Recent global monitoring shows that 114 education systems now have a national ban on mobile phones in schools, representing 58% of countries worldwide. In Europe, the ENESET network of experts carried out a European mapping in 2025, which revealed a significant trend towards formalised national frameworks for regulating smartphone use in schools.

As of late 2025, the majority of EU countries had implemented, or were planning to implement, some form of restriction on mobile phones in schools. These measures range from total bans during the school day (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Hungary, Portugal, Slovenia), often involving mandatory device collection, to classroom-only restrictions that leave broader actions to school discretion (Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia). Some countries (Bulgaria, Sweden) are moving from advisory frameworks to legally binding rules.

• French families in the COFACE network support the ban of smartphones in schools as long as such a ban is backed by a more comprehensive response, which ensures that digital platforms remain fully accountable, that we reinforce media literacy and that parents are supported in this process.
• In Hungary, a survey indicated that two-thirds of Hungarians (66%) believe that the introduction of mobile-free schools was a good idea. The majority agree with the restriction of mobile phone use in schools, and 8 out of 10 think that parents should also use their mobile phones less.

Parental views on mobile phones bans

Parents and carers have a responsibility in managing the use of digital devices like mobile phones at home. However, parents are often overwhelmed and find it hard to keep up with the latest technological developments, as indicated by a European survey of parents in 2025. In addition to general time constraints, some families are in more vulnerable situations than others, which can increase digital disadvantage. This includes single-parent families, larger (recomposed) families, families with a migration background, and families who are caring for someone with a disability.

In the meantime, bans are being implemented. While this helps children and youth focus better on learning in schools, it has a different impact on family homes according to discussions in the COFACE network. On the one hand, these bans can inspire parents and carers to have similar rules at home to limit screentime. On the other hand, it shifts the responsibility to families to provide basic media literacy.

Furthermore, some parents in our network have pointed out that banning the use of smartphones in schools could further widen the existing digital divide for families in poverty. As a Lithuanian mother said, ‘a smartphone is not just a game or a social network, but also a digital tool to guide youngsters and educate them. Is banning technology the right way forward in this digital age?’

Suggestions for schools and parents

A first step towards greater parental engagement in schools on the topic of smartphone use is to provide spaces for teachers and parents to meet, brainstorm about challenges and build solutions together.

Teachers or schools could lead in this respect, using the school premises to create such community meeting spaces. For example, they could host:

• parent evenings with an expert talk about the impact of smartphones on children’s education (conference style)
• small workshops for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide digital parenting courses and help parents acquire the basic knowledge needed to have conversations with their children and with schools about smartphone bans.

Parents and carers, on the other hand, also have their part to play in strengthening engagement with teachers and schools. They could:

• actively take part in initiatives like the ones suggested above
• join a family or parent network for peer-to-peer interactions with other parents in order to educate themselves
• increase their involvement in the school parents association, a structural channel for dialogue with the school, in order to bring constructive solutions and support schools in enforcing technology-related measures.

Do you recognise this in your school community or has your community found a way to strengthen parental engagement on the topic of smartphone bans? If so, please get in touch and share examples of how the schools in your local community engage parents on this topic.

Home-school collaboration for a balanced use of mobile phones

Regardless of mobile phone bans, both parents and teachers have to admit that technology is here to stay, and this is an area where schools and families need to work together to ensure quality learning and wellbeing for children.

I personally look forward to seeing how further in-depth, long-term studies can fully validate the causal link between these bans and improved pupil outcomes. It’s a crucial area for the wellbeing of children and adolescents, and their families. Any legal framework developed to provide schools with the explicit authority to implement and enforce policies should be proportionate and respect children’s rights.

Founded in 1958, COFACE is a European network of 50+ family organisations across 26 countries, representing and supporting all types of families without discrimination. It organises many activities to support EU policy implementation, facilitate transnational exchanges, and raise awareness about Social Europe initiatives with the support of the EaSI ESF+ programme. COFACE is a supportive partner of the European School Education Platform.

To learn more about mobile phone use in schools, explore our other articles on this topic:

• Exploring mobile phone use in schools